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THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARY, 
Princeton,  N.  J. 


77/3. 

I/-  3» 


THE 


WORKS 


OF 


THE  REV.  JOHN  NEWTON, 

LATE 

RECTOR  OF  THE  UNITED  PARISHES 

OF 
ST.  MARY  WOOLNOTH  AND  ST.  MARY  WOOLCHURCH  HAW, 

LOJ^DOJV. 


Frcm  the  last  London  Editiorif 
PUBLISHED    ETY    DIRECTION   OF    HIS    EXECUTORS 


IN  SIX  VOLUMES. 
VOL.  III. 


.YEW-YORK: 

PUBLISHED  BY  WILLIAMS  AND  WHITING, 

AT    TIIEIR    THEOLOGICAL    AND    CLASSICAL    BOOK-STORE, 

JVo.  118,  Pearl-street. 

J.    SEYMOUR,    PRINTER. 

1810. 


PROPER, 


OF  VOL.  III. 

A  REVIEW  OF  ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 

BOOK  I. 

OF  THE  FIRST  PERIOD  OF  CHRISTIANITY, 

CHAPTER  I. 

The  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God  conspiciious  in  the  period  assigned  for 
Christ's  appearance ;  ilhistrated  by  a  summary  view  of  the  state  of  man- 
kind, before  and  at  the  time  of  his  birth,        ......        3 

CHAPTER  II. 

Tlie  character  and  genius  of  the  Gospel,  as  taught  and  exemplifed  by 
Christ, .        .      IS 

CHAPTER  III. 

Concerning  the  true  ground  of  the  opposition  our  Lord  met  toith  in  the  course 
of  his  ?ninistry  ;  and  the  objections  and  artifices  his  enemies  employed  to  pre- 
judice  the  people  against  him,  and  prevent  the  reception  of  his  doctrine,      34 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Observations  on  the  calling  and  characters  of  our  Lord's  apostles  and  disciples, 
previotis  to  his  ascension,       •        -        -        -        -        •        -        -        -52 

BOOK  II. 

OF  THE  SECOND  PERIOD  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 

CHAPTER  I. 

Of  the  progress  of  the-.Gospel  from  our  J^ord's  ascension  to  the  close  of  the 
first  century,  ...........      7~ 

CHAPTER  II. 

^n  essay  on  the  character  of  St.  Paul,  considered  as  an  exemplar  or  pattern 
of  a  minister  of  Jesus  CfS^st,        -        - -212 

CHAPTER  III. 

Of  the  irregularities  and  offences  -which  appeared  in  the  apostoUc  churcJies,  250 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Of  the  heresies  propag'ated  by  false  teachers  in  the  apostles' days,    •        -    269 

OLNEY  HYMMS. 

BOOK  I. 

On  select  passages  of  Scripture,       ........    307 

BOOK  II. 
On  occasional  subjects,     ..........    463^ 

BOOK  III. 

On  the  rise,  progress,  changes,  and  comforts  of  the  spiritual  life,     -        -  568 

JPoems,      -.- 669 

Tables  to  the  Olney  Hymns,       .........  673 


TABLE 


FIRST  LINES  TQ  THE  OLNEY  HYMJ^S. 


Page 

A  Believer  free  from  care     -    -  442 
Afflictions  do  not  come  alone       -  456 
Afflictions,  though  they  seem  se- 
vere   -    .    -  421 

A  garden  contemplation  suits      -  561 
A  glance  from  heav'n,  vith  sweet 

effect    --------  550 

A  shelter  from  the  rain  or  wind  -  562 

All !  what  can  I  do    -    -    -     -    -  576 

Alas  !  Elisha's  servant  cry'd    -    -  352 

Alas  !  by  nature  how  deprav'd    -  492 

A  lion,  though  by  nature  wild  -  559 
Almighty  King  !  whose  wondrous 

hand -    -  312 

Although  on  massy  pillars  built  -  533 
Amazing  grace  !  (how  sweet  the 

sound,)      .---.--  353 
Approach,  my  soul,  the  mercy- 
seat 583 

As  birds  their  infant  brood  protect  385 

As  needles  point  towards  the  pole  556 

As  once  for  Jonah,  so  the  Lord  -  388 

As  parched  in  tlie  barren  sands   -  380 

As  some  tall  rock  amidst  the  waves  439 

As  the  serpent  raisM  by  Moses   -  374 

As  the  sun's  enliv'ning  eye     -    -  537 

As  when  the  weary  trav'ller  gains  631 

A  word  from  Jesus  calms  the  sea  401 

A  worldling  spent  each  day     -    .  422 

Before  Elijah's  gate 350 

Begone,  unbelief  -----.  608 

Behold  the  throne  of  grace  !    -    -  343 

Beneath  the  tyrant  Satan's  yoke  488 

Beside  the  gospel  pool    -    -    -    -  430 

Bestow,  deaVLord,  upon  ouryouth  471 
Be  still,  my  heart !  these  anxious 

cares     ......--  613 

Bitter,  indeed,  the  waters  are      -  322 

Bleak  winter  is  subdu'd  at  length  495 

Blinded  in  youth  by  Satan's  arts  567 
Breathe  from  the  gentle  soul,  O 

Lord  -.....--  582 
By  various  maxims,  forms,   and 

rules       ........  454 

By  faith  in  Christ  I  walk  with  God  310 

By  the  poor  widow's  oil  and  meal  347 

By  V- horn  was  David  taught     .    -  325 

Cheer  up,  my  soul,  there  is  a  mer- 
cy seat 582 

Chief  shepherd    of   thy    chosen 

sheep     ...-.-..  515 


Page 

Come,  my  soul,  thy  suit  prepare  341 
Confirm  the  hope  thy  word  alloMs  661 
Conslrain'd  by  their  Lord  to  em- 
bark    432 

Could  the  creatures  help  or  ease 

us 408 

Courage,    my   soul  !    behold  the 

prize --  541 

Darkness  overspreads  us  here      -  447 
Day  of  judgment,  day   of  won- 
ders ! 542 

Dear  Lord  !  accept  a  sinful  heart  597 

Destruction's  dangerous  road       -  648 
Does   it   not   grief  and   wonder 

move      - 476 

Does  the  gospel -word  proclaim   -  585 

Elijah's  example  declares    -    -    -  34ft 

Elisha,  struck  with  grief  and  awe  482 

Encourag'd  by  thy  word      -    -    -  394 
Ensnar'd  too  long  my  heart  has 

been 486 

Ere  God  had  built  the  mountains  364 

Far  from  the  world,  O  Lord,  I 

flee 6IS 

J'ather,  forgive,  (the  Saviour  said,)  427 

Father  of  angels  and  of  men  -    .  667 

Fervent  pei'severing  pray'rs    -    -  441 
Fierce   passions   discompose   the 

mind ...451 

Fix  my  heart  and  eyes  on  thine !  638 

Forest  beasts,  that  live  by  prey    .  604 

For  mercies  countless  as  the  sands  362 

From  Egypt  lately  freed    -    -    -  615 

From  pole  to  pole  let  others  roam  382 

From  Sheba  a  distant  report    -    -  344 

Gladness  was  spread  through  Is- 
rael's host 514 

Glorious  things  of  thee  are  spoken  372 

Glory  to  God  the  P'attier's  name  668 

God  gives  his  mercies  to  be  spent  368 
God,   with   one  piercing  glance, 

looks  tlirough      -    .    .    .    .  543 

God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way  .  586 

God  of  my  life,  to  thee  I  call   -    -  590 

Grace,  triumphant  in  the  throne  640 

Gracious  Lord,  our  children  see  475 

Happy  are   they,    to  whom  the 

Lord 512 


VI 


Table  of  First  Lines  to  the  Olney  Hymns. 


Page 

Hark,  my  soul !  it  is  the  Lord  -  437 
Hark  !  how  time's  wide-sounding 

bell    - 46- 

Happy  the  birth  where  grace  pre- 
sides    633 

Heal  us,  Immanuel,  here  we  are  323 
Hear   what   God   the  Lord  hath 

spoken  ------..  379 

Hear  v.  liat  the  Ijord,  the  great 

Amen 460 

He   who   on   earth   as   man  ^vas 

known    --------  371 

Here  at  liethesda's  pool  tlie  poor  431 

His  master  taken  from  his  head  539 

Holy  Lord  God  !  I  love  thy  truth  636 

Honour  and  happiness  unite    -    -  623 

IFoney  though  the  bee  prepares  -  368 

How  blest  the  rigliteou*  are    -    -  329 

How  blest  thy  ci-eatureis,  O  God  617 

How  Ua'\id,  when  by  sin  deceiv'd  339 

How  hnrttul  was  the  choice  of  Lot  311 

How  kind  the  good  Samaritan    -  415 

How  lost  was  my  condition  -  -  375 
How  soon  tlie  Saviour's  gracious 

call -    -    -  650 

How  s-B'eet  the  name   of  Jesus 

sounds 370 

How    tedious   and   tasteless    the 

hours 358 

How  welcome  to  the  saints  when 

press'd 510 

Hungry,  and  faint,  and  poor    -    •  662 

I  am,  (saith  Christ,)  your  glori- 
ous head    -------  435 

I  ask'd  the  Lord   that  I  might 

grow 607 

If  for  a  time  the  air  be  calm  -  -  553 
If  Paul   in    Cicsar's  court   must 

stand 444 

If  Solomon  for  wisdom  pray'd    -  342 

If  the  Lord  our  leader  be    -    -    -  316 

If  to  Jesus  for  relief 610 

Incarnate  Cod  the  soul  that  knows  359 

In  ev'ry  object  here  I  see    -    -    -  670 

In  evil  long  I  took  delight    -    .    -  522 

In  mercy,  ngt  in  wrath,  rebuke    -  357 

In  themselves  as  weak  as  worms  -  526 

In  vain  my  far.cy  strives  to  paint  538 

Isi'ael  ill  ancient  days      .    -     .    -  452 

I  thirst,  but  not  as  once  I  did   -    -  634 

I  -was  a  grov'ling  creature  once    -  623 

I  will  praise  thee  cv'ry  day     -    -  371 

I  would,  but  cannot,  sing    .    -     -  446 

Jesus  Christ  the  Lord's  anointed  391 

Jesus,  to  wliat  didst  thou  subsnit  -  429 

Jesus  V  lio  bought  us  with  his  blood  485 
Jesus,    whose    blood    so    freely 

stream'd 331 

Jesus,  where'er  thy  people  meet  509 

Jesus  is  mine  !  I'm  now  prepared  664 

John  in  a  vision  saw  the  day    -     -  544 

Joy  is  a  fruit  that  will  not  grow    -  354 

Kindle,  Saviour,  in  my  heart  -    -  5f}8 


Page 
Kindred  in  Christ,  for  his  dear 

sake  -    .    -    ^ 536 

Legion  was  my  name  by  nature  -  407 
Let  hearts  and  tongues  unite  -  •  596 
Let  me  dwell  on  Golgotha  -  -  -  521 
Let  us  adore  the  grace  that  seeks  484 
Let  us  love,  and  sing,  and  wonder  653 
Let  worldly  minds  the  world  pur- 
sue      632 

Lord,    my    soul    with    pleasure 

springs  --------  622 

Lord,  thou  hast  won,  at  length  I 

yield 440 

Lord,  who  hast  sufFer'd  all  for  me  599 
Lord,  what  is  man  !  extremes  how 

wide 660 

Manna  to  Israel  well  supply'd    -  323 
Martha  her  love  and  joy  express'd  415 
Mary  to  her  Saviour's  tomb    -    -  436 
May  the  grace  of  Christ  our  Sa- 
viour     --------  666 

Mercy,  O  thou  Son  of  David !      -  411 
My  barns  are  full,  my  stores  in- 
crease   ..--.-..  419 
My  former  hopes  are  fled    .    -    -  579 
My  God !  how  perfect   are  thy 

ways! 381 

My  God !  till  I  receiv'd  thy  stroke  381 

My  harpuntun'd  and  laid  aside  -  517 

My  song  shall  bless  the  Lord  of  all  502 
Sly  soul  once   had  its  plenteous 

years 319 

My  sold,  this  curious  house  of  clay  540 

My  soul  is  beset     -.----  580 

My  soul  is  sad  and  much  dismay'd  591 

Nay,  I  cannot  let  thee  go    -    -    -  318 

No  strength  of  nature  can  suffice  634 

No  woi-ds  can  declare    -     -    -    -  568 

Not  to  Sinai's  dreadful  blaze  -  -  663 
Now,  gracious  Lord,   tliiue  arm 

reveal    --------  470 

Now  let  us  join  with  hearts  and 

tongues --.-.---  502 

Now  may  fervent  pray'r  arise  -    -  472 

Now  may  the  Lord  reveal  his  face  657 
Now,  Lord,  inspire  the  preacher's 

heart      --.-.---  661 

Now  may  He  who  from  the  dead  665 

Of  all  the  gifts  thine  hand  bestows  652 

Often  thy  public  means  of  grace  -  663 

Oft  as  the  bell,  with  solemn  toll    -  539 

Oft  as  the  leper's  case  I  read    -    -  396 

Oft  in  vain  the  voice  of  truth  -    -  469 

O  God,  whose  favourable  eye  -    -  641 

O  David's  Son,  and  David's'  Lord  483 

O  Lord,  our  languid  souls  inspire  508 

O  Lord,  how  vile  am  I   -     -    -     -  578 

O  Lord,  my  best  desire  fulfd    -    -  fiOO 

O  thou  at  whose  almighty  word    -  4Sl 

O  happy  they  who  know  the  Lord  5 1 1 

O  speak  that  gracious  woi-d  again  6:25 

Oh!  for  a  closer  walk  with  Gad    -  309 


Table  of  First  Lines  to  tJie  Olney  Hymns,  \  ii 


Page 
Oh,  may  the  pow'r  which  melts 

the  rock 530 

O  how  I  love  thy  holy  word     -    -  588 

Once  a  woman  silent  stood      •■    -  414 

Once  on  a  time  a  paper  kite    -    -  669 

Once  perishing  in  blood  I  lay  -  -  383 
Once,  while  we  aim'd  at  Zion's 

songs     --..-.-.  513 

On  man,  in  his  Own  image  made  -  30r 

On  the  same  flow'r  we  often  see  -  557 

One  awful  word  which  Jesus  spoke  413 

One  glance  of  thine,  eternal  Lord  614 

One  there  is,  above  all  others      -  365 

Oppress'd  with  unbelief  and   sins  449 

Our  Lord,  who  knows  full  well    -  423 

Pensive,  doubting,  fearful  heart  -  376 

Physician  of  my  sin -sick  soul      -  397 

Pleasing  spring  again  is  here   -    -  496 

Poor  Esau  repented  too  late    -    -  315 

Poor  sinners!  little  do  they  think  387 
Poor,  -w  eak,  and  worthless,  though 

lam       .--....-  340 

Pray'r  an  ansM'er  will  obtain  -  -  402 
Preachers   may,  from  Ezekiel's 

case  ---     .....     .  477 

Precious  Bible  !  what  a  treasure  -  528 

Prepare  a  thankful  song    -    -    -  658 

Quiet,  Lord,  my  frcward  heai-t    -  637 

Refreshed  by  the  bread  and  wine  524 

I?ejoice,  believer,  inlthe  Lord      -  655 

Remember  us,  v/e  pray  thee.  Lord  662 

Return  to  bless  my  waiting  eyes    -  602 

Safely  through  another  week      -  504 

Salvation  !  wliat  a  glorious  plan  -  656 

Sav'd  by  blood,  I  live  to  tell    -    -  626 

Saviour,  shine  and  cheer  my  soul  356 

Saviour,  visit  thy  plantation     -    -  516 

See  Aaron,  God's  anointed  priest  327 

See!  another  year  is  gone    .    -     »  465 

See  how  rude  winter's  icy  hand   -  493 

.See  !  the  corn  agiiin  in  ear  ...  500 

See  the  gloomy  galh'ring  cloud    -  532 

See,  the  world  for  youth  prepares  565 

Shall  men  pretend  to  pleasure  -  571 
Sight,  heai'ing,  feeling,  taste,  and 

■     smell 616 

Simon,  beware  !  the  Saviour  said  426 
Sin,   wlien   viewed  by    Scripture- 
light  647 

Sinner,  art  thou  still  secure    -    -  573 

Sinners,  hear  the  Saviour's  call    -  574 

Sin  enslav'd  me  many  years    .     -  635 

Sin  has  vnctone  our  wretched  race  474 
Some  autiior,    (no   great  matter 

who,) 670 

Somttimcs  a  light  surprises    .    -  621 

Son  of  God,  thy  people's  shield  -  389 

Sov'reign  grace  has  pow'r  alone  -  428 

Stop,  poor  sinner,  stop  and  think  570 

Strange  and  mysterious  is  my  life  450 

Supported  by  the  \\ord  -    -     -    -  386 


Page 
Sweet  was  the  time  when  first  1 

felt 355 

Sweeter  sounds  than  music  knows  502 

Ten  thousand  talents  once  I  ow'd  639 

That  was  a  wonder-working  word  546 
That  man    no  guard  or  weapon 

needs     -.-.-.-.  360 

The  church  a  gai-den  is  -    -    -     -  420 

The  God  who  once  to  Israel  spoke  479 
The  grass,  and  flow'rs  which  clothe 

the  field 409 

The  Lord,  our  salvation  and  light  505 

The  Spirit  breathes  upon  the  word  527 
The  gath'ring  clouds,  with  aspect 

dark 529 

The  Look  of  nature  open  lies  -    -  547 

The  moon  in  silver  glory  shone    -  551 

The  moon  has buta  borrow'd  light  552 

The  ice  and  snow  we  lately  saw    -  555 

The  subtle  spider  often  weaves    -  558 

The  Saviour  calls  his  people  sheep  560 

The  water  stood  like  walls  of  brass  563 
The  billows  swell,  the  wiuds  are 

high 589 

The  Saviour  hides  liis  face  !     -    -  595 
The    new-born    child    of    gospel 

gi-ace      ........  640 

The    Lord    receives    his   highest 

praise    ........  643 

The    wishes    that    the    sluggard 

frames 649 

The  saints  Immanuel's  portion  are  665 
The  peace  which  God  alone   re- 
veals        666 

The  Father  Ave  adore     .    -    -    .  667 

The  castle  of  the  human  heart    -  417 

The  evils  that  beset  our  path    -    -  367 

The  kine  ungiiided  went     -    -    -  330 

The  Lord  will  happiness  divine    -  378 
The   Lord    proclaijns    his   grace 

abroad   -     -     -.-     -     -    -    -  3S4 

The  lion  that  on  Samson  roar'd  -  333 

The  manna,  faV^our'd  Israel's  meat  324 

The  message  first  to  Smyrna  sent  458 

The  prophets'  sons,  in  times  of  old  551. 

The  Saviour !  what  a  noble  flame  520 
The    saints  should  never  be  dis- 

may'd     ........  312 

The  Shunamile,   oppress'd   with 

grief       - 475 

The  signs  which  God  to  Gibeon 

gave  - 332 

The  word  of  Christ,  our  Lord    -  453 
There   is    a    fountain   till'd   with 

blood 392 

This  is  the  feast  of  heuv'nly  wine  578 
Though  Jericiu)  pleasantly  stood  348 
Though  in  the  outward  church  be- 
low      .^00 

Tho'  cloudy  skies,  and  northern 

blasts      ---.....  494 

Tliough  troubles  assail    ....  513 

TJiough  the  morn  may  be  serene  497 
Though  small  the  drops  of  falling 

rain    - '.  554 


viii  2\iblc  of  First  Lines  to  the  Olneij  Hi/mns. 


Page 
Thou(>;li  sore  beset  with  guilt  and 

fe.li- 60,3 

Thus  saith  the  Lord  to  Ephesus  -  457 

Thus  saiththe  Holy  Oneand  True  459 
Thy   mausion  is   the   Christian's 

heart 412 

Tliy   message,  by  the   preacher, 

seal 490 

Thy  promise.  Lord,  and  thy  com- 
mand .--.....  661 
^ime,  with  an  unweary'd  hand  -  464 
Time,  by  moments,  steals  away  -  466 
'Tis  a  point  I  long  to  know  -  -  437 
'Tis  my  happiness  below  -  -  -  587 
'Tis  past, — the   dreadful   stormy 

night 591 

To  keep  the  lamp  alive  -    -    -     j  645 

'I'o  tell  the  Saviour  all  my  wants  620 

To  thee  our  wants  are  known  -  606 
To  those  Avho  know  the  Lord,  I 

speak 5S4 

Too  many.  Lord,  abuse  thy  grace  644 

Unbelief  the  soul  dismays  -  -  -  612 
Uncertain  how  the  way  to  find  -  606 
Unless  the  Lord  had  been  my  stay    595 

Wearied  by  day  with   toils   and 

cares 535 

We  seek  a  rest  beyond  the  skies  604 

What  a  mourn  fu  I -life  is  mine  -    -  363 

What  contradictions  meet  -  -  -  489 
What  thousands  never  knew  the 

road  !  .-.---..  644 
What  think  you  of  Christ  \  is  the 

test 403 

What  various  hindrances  we  meet  525 

When  Adam  fell  he  quickly  lost  -  305 
When  first  to  make  my  heart  his 

own 335 

When  first  my  soul  enlisted    -    •  337 

When  Hannah  pressM  with  grief  334 
When  Jesus  claims  the  sinner's 

heart 398 

MHien  Joseph  his  brethren  beheld  320 

When  Israel,  by  divine  command  523 
When  Isiacl's  tribes  were  parcli'd 

with  thirst 448 

When  Israel  lieard  the  fiery  law  -  326 


When  Israel  was  from  Egypt  freed  361 

When  Joshua,  by  God's  command  330 

When  Peter  boasted,  soon  he  fell  406 

When  sinners  utter  boasting  words  393 

When  thedisciplescross'dthe  lake  410 
When  the  apostle  wonders  wrought  443 

When  descending  from  the  sky   -  404 

When  any  turn  from  Zion's  way  43* 

Wlien  the  belov'd  disciple  took  -  461 
When  Peter  through  the  tedious 

night      -.--.-..  473 

When  Moses  wav'd  his  mystic  rod  478 
When  Paul  wss  parted  from  his 

friends   --------  491 

When  on  the  cross  my  Lord  I  see  519 
When    the    sun,    with    cheerful 

beams    --.-.---  54g 

AVhen  a  black  o'erspreading  cloud  549 
When   slumber  seals  our  weary 

eyes 564 

When  darkness  long  has  veil'd  my 

mind 594 

When  my  pray'rs  are  a  burden 

and  task 596 

When  my  Saviour,  my  Shepherd, 

is  near  -.-....  goi 
When   the  poor  pris'ner  thro'  a 

grate 605 

Wlien  the  wounded  spirit  hears  -  629 

When  Hagar  found  the  bottle  spent  630 

While  with  ceaseless  course  the  sun  463 

While  Josiiua  led  the  armed  bands  531 

While  I  liv'd  without  the  Lord  -  627 
Wliy    should  I  fear  the   darkest 

hour 619 

With  Satan,  my  accuser  near      -  390 

Winter  has  a  joy  for  me      -    -    -  654 

M'ith Israel's  God  who  can  compare  664 

Write  to  Sardis,  sailh  the  Lord  -  459 

Ye  saints  on  earth,  ascribe  with 

heav'n's  high  host    -    -    -    -  668 

Ye  sons  of  earth  prepare  the  plough  399 

Yes !  since  God  himself  has  said  it  624 

Znccheus  climb'd  the  tree    -    -    .  424 
Zeal  is   that   pure  and   heav'nly 

flame     ------     .-  6«i3 

Zion  !  the  city  of  our  God  -    -    -  487 


REVIEW. 

OF 

ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY, 

SO  FAR  AS  IT  CONCERNS  THE 

PROGRESS,  DECLENSIONS,  AND  REVIVALS 

OF 

EVANGELICAL  DOCTRINE  AND  PRACTICE, 

WITH 

A  BRIEF  ACCOUNT 

OF  THE 

SPIRIT  AND  METHODS  BY  WHICH  VITAL  AND  EJCPERIMENTAL 
RELIGION  HAVE  BEEN  OPPOSED, 

IN  ALL  AGES  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


-Aliusque  et  Idem 


Nasceris- 


But  as  then  he  that  was  born  after  the  flesh  persecated  him  that  was  bora  af- 
ter the  Spirit,  even  so  it  is  now.  ©AL.  iv.  29; 


Vol.  IIL 


INTRODUCTION. 

1  HOUGH  the  actions  of  mankind  appear  greatly  diverfil- 
fied  from  the  influence  of  particular  circumstances,  human 
nature  has  been  always  the  same.  The  history  of  all  ages 
and  countries  uniformly  confirms  the  Scriptural  doctrine,  that 
man  is  a  depraved  and  fallen  creature,  and  that  some  selfish 
temper,  ambition,  avarice,  pride,  revenge,  and  the  like, 
are,  in  effect,  the  main  springs  and  motives  of  his  conduct, 
unless  so  far,  and  in  such  instances,  as  they  are  corrected 
and  subdued  by  Divine  Grace. 

Therefore,  when  St.  Paul  speaks  of  the  most  dreadful  de* 
§iee  of  impiety  that  can  be  imagined,  enmity  against  God^ 
lie  does  not  consider  it  as  the  fault  of  the  particular  time  in 
which  he  lived,  or  impute  it  singly  either  to  the  idolatrous 
Heathens  or  the  obstinate  Jews,  but  he  affirms  universally^ 
that  the  carmil  mind,  (to  (Ppov«/xa  t«j  o-apxoj)  the  wisdom,  the 
most  spiritual  and  discerning  faculty  of  man,  is  enmity  against 
God.  Men  differ  considerably  in  capacity,  rank,  education, 
and  attainments;  they  jar  in  sentiments  and  interests;  they 
mutually  revile,  hate,  and  destroy  one  another;  but  in  this 
point  they  all  agree.  Whether  Greeks  or  Barbarians,  wise 
or  ignorant,  bond  or  free,  the  bent  and  disposition  of  their 
minds,  while  unrenewed  by  grace,  is  black  and  implacable 
enmity  against  the  blessed  God, 

To  those  who  acknowledge  the  authority  of  Scripture,  St 
Paul's  express  assertion  should  be  suflicient  proof  of  tfrf^ 


ly  INTRODUCTIOKi. 

point,  if  we  could  produce  no  other ;  but,  besides  the  many 
other  passages  in  the  book  of  God  to  the  same  effect,  it  may 
be  demonstrated  by  the  most  obvious  proofs,  experience, 
and  matter  of  fact.  The  history  of  the  Old  Testament  from 
the  death  of  Abel,  the  nature  and  grounds  of  the  opposition 
which  Jesus  and  his  apostles  met  with,  and  the  treatment  of 
the  most  exemplary  Christians  that  have  lived  in  succeeding 
ages,  are  indisputable  evidences  of  this  offensive  truth ;  for 
what  can  be  stronger  marks  of  enmity  against  God,  than  to 
despise  his  word,  to  scorn  his  favour,  to  oppose  his  will,  to 
caress  his  enemies,  and  to  insult  and  abuse  his  servants  for 
no  other  offence  than  their  attachment  to  his  service  ? 

But  when,  from  these  premises,  the  apostle  infers, "  So  then 
"  they  that  are  in  the  flesh  caimot  please  God,"  though  the 
consequence  is  evident,  it  may  seem  at  first  view  unnecessaiy ; 
for  can  it  be  supposed  that  the  carnal  mind,  which  breathes 
a  spirit  of  defiance  and  enmity  against  God,  will  have  any 
desire  or  thought  of  pleasing  him  ?  Yet  thus  it  is. — The 
carnal  mind  is  not  only  desperately  wicked,  but  deeply  de- 
ceitful ;  it  deceives  others,  and  often  it  deceives  itself.  As 
the  magicians  of  Egypt,  though  enemies  to  Moses,  attempted 
to  counterfeit  his  miracles,  and  as  Balaam  could  say.  The 
Lord  my  God !  though  he  was  wickedly  engaged  against 
the  Lord's  people ;  so  it  has  been  usual  with  many  who  have 
hated  and  denied  thepower  of  godliness,  to  value  themselves 
highly  upon  the  form  of  it ;  and,  v/hile  they  are  alienated 
from  the  life  of  God,  through  the  ignorance  that  is  in  them, 
they  affect  to  be  thought  his  best  servants,  and  make  the 
most  confident  claims  to  his  favour. 

The  pure  religion  of  Jesus  cannot  but  be  despised  and  re- 
jected by  the  carnal  mind  :  "  the  natural  man  receiveth  not 
"  the  things  of  God,"  they  are  beyond  his  sphere,  he  does 


INTRODTJCTI©N.  Vi' 

BOt  apprehend  them,  and  therefore  cannot  approve  them  ; 
nay,  he  is  averse  and  unwilline^  to  meddle  with  them,  and 
therefore  it  is  impossible  he  should  understand  them.  But 
the  fiercest  opposition  arises  from  the  complication  of  pre- 
sumption and  hypocrisy  we  have  spoken  of;  when  men, 
destitute  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  from  a  vain  conceit  of  their 
own  wisdom  and  goodness,  arrogate  to  themselves  an  au- 
thoritative decision  in  religious  concerns,  and  would  re- 
duce the  judgment  and  practice  of  others  to  their  own 
corrupt  standard. 

Such  was  eminently  the  character  of  the  Scribes  and  Pha- 
risees, who,  with  unwearied  malice,  persecuted  our  Lord  to 
the  death  of  the  cross  ;  and  he  forewarned  his  disciples  to 
expect  the  like  treatment ;  he  sent  them  forth  as  lambs  in 
the  midst  of  wolves,  and  assured  them  that  their  attach- 
ment to  him  would  draw  on  them  the  hatred  of  mankind^ 
so  far  as  even  to  deprive  them  of  the  rights  of  civil  society, 
and  the  pleasures  of  relative  life.  "  A  man's  foes  shall  be 
"  those  of  his  own  household ;"  his  parents  shall  forget  their 
affection,  his  children  their  duty,  his  servants  their  re- 
verence, even  the  wife  of  his  bosom  shall  despise  him, 
when  he  boldly  professes  the  Gospel ;  nay,  the  most  ami- 
able qualities,  joined  to  the  most  endearing  connexions,  are 
not  sufficient  wholly  to  suppress  the  enmity  which  fills  the 
hearts  of  the  unregenerate,  against  those  in  whom  they  dis- 
cern the  image  of  Christ:  and  that  this  enmity  would  some- 
times assume  a  religious  form,  and  under  that  appearance, 
proceed  to  the  greatest  extremities,  he  informed  them  in 
another  place.  The  time  cometh,  that  whosoever  killeth  you, 
will  think  that  he  doth  God  service. 

If  a  faitli  and  practice  agreeable  to  the  New  Testament 
were  not  always  attended  with  a  measure  of  this  opposition, 
we  should  waat  one  considerable  evidence  that  the  Gospel 


"Vi  INtRODXrCTlOK. 

is  true,  and  infidels  would  be  possessed  of  one  solid  ob- 
jection against  it,  namely,  That  our  Lord  was  mistaken, 
when  he  predicted  the  reception  his  doctrine  would  meer 
with.  But  the  Scriptures  cannot  be  broken :  the  word  of 
Christ  is  fulfilled  and  fulfilling  every  day,  and  especially  in 
this  particular.  Many  perhaps  will  be  ready  to  o}>ject  here, 
and  to  maintain,  that  in  our  nation,  and  at  this  present 
lime,  the  charge  is  invidious  and  false.  It  tvill  be  pleaded, 
that  when  Christianity  had  to  struggle  with  Jews  and  Pagans, 
it  could  not  but  be  opposed  ;  but  that  with  us,  under  the 
guard  of  a  national  establishment,  an  opposition  to  Chris- 
tianity, (unless  by  the  feeble  efforts  of  deists  and  libertines,) 
is  impracticable  and  inconsistent  by  the  ^'ery  terms ;  and 
that,  if  the  delusions  of  a  few  A-isionary  enthusiasts  arc 
treated  with  that  contempt  and  indignation  which  they  justly 
deserve,  this  should  not  be  styled  an  opposition  to  Christian- 
ity, but  rather  a  warrantable  concern  for  its  vindication, 
especially  as  no  coercive  methods  are  used;  for  though  some 
attempts  have  been  made  to  restrain  the  leaders  from  por 
soning  the  minds  of  the  people,  yet  no  person  is  injured, 
cither  in  life  or  property,  on  account  of  his  opinions,  how  ex- 
travagant soever. 

To  this  extenuation  it  may  be  replied, 

1.  I  do  not  assert  that  persecution  and  reproach  must  ne- 
cessarily attend  the  ?Mme  of  a  Christian,  or  that  it  is  not  pos- 
sible to  make  a  high  profession  of  religion  under  that  name, 
and  at  the  same  time  preserve  or  acquire  a  large  share  of 
the  honours,  riches,  and  friendship  of  the  world;  but  I 
maintain  with  the  apostle,  "All  that  will  live  godly  in  Christ 
"  Jesus  shall  suffer  persecution."  The  distinction  he  makes 
in  these  words  is  observable:  So  much  godliness  as  may 
be  professed  without  a  peculiar  relation  to  Jesus,  the  world 
will  bear;   sobriety  and  beaevolence  they    will  applaud; 


INTEODUCTION.  VU 

even  prayers,  fastings,  and  other  external  acts  may  be  com- 
mended; but  to  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus — so  as  to  profess 
our  whole  dependence  upon  his  free  salvation,  to  seek  all 
our  strength  from  his  grace,  to  do  all  expressly  for  his  sake, 
and  then  to  renounce  all  trust  or  confidence  in  what  we  Jiave 
done,  and  to  make  mention  of  his  righteousness  only — this 
the  world  cannot  bear ;  this  will  surely  provoke  the  con- 
tempt or  hatred  of  all  who  have  not  the  same  spirit,  Avhether 
accounted  Christians  or  Infidels,  Papists  or  Protestants, 
That  nothing  less  than  what  I  have  mentioned,  can  be  the 
import  of  living  godly  in  Christ  Jesus,  I  shall  in  due  time 
prove  by  a  cloud  of  witnesses. 

2.  I  acknowledge,  with  thankfulness  to  God,  and  to  those 
whom  he  has  placed  in  just  authority  over  us,  that  the  in- 
terposition of  stripes,  imprisonment,  tortures,  and  death,  in 
matters  pertaining  to  conscience,  has  no  longer  place  in 
our  happy  land. 

— — —  jacet  (semperq^ue  jaceat !) 
Divini  Imago  Zelis  et  Pestis. 
The  spirit  of  persecution  is  repressed  by  the  wisdom  of  om 
laws  and  the  clemency  of  our  princes ;  but  we  have  no  ground 
to  believe  it  is  extinct,  or  rather,  we  have  sufficient  evidence 
of  the  contrary.  Not  to  mention  some  recent  instances,  in 
which  power  has  been  strained  to  its  full  extent,  it  is  noto^ 
rious  that  scorn,  invective,  and  calumny,  (which  can  act  un- 
restrained by  human  laws,)  are  employed  for  the  same  ends 
and  purposes,  which,  in  other  countries,  are  n^re  speedily 
efl.ected  by  anathemas  and  sanguinary  edicts. 

3.  The  opposition  I  am  speakmg  of  is  not  primarily  be- 
tween men  and  men,  simply  considered,  but  between  the 
spirit  of  the  world  and  the  spirit  that  is  of  God,  and  there- 
fore the  manifestation  of  each  will  be  in  mutual  proportion. 
The  Lord  Jesus  himself  sustained  the  fiercest  contradiction 


Vlll  lUTROnFCTIOU, 

©f  sianers,  because  his  character  was  superlatively  excellent: 
his  apostles,  though  far  inferior  to  their  Lord,  expressed  so 
much  of  his  temper  and  conduct,  that  they  were  counted 
worthy  to  suffer  shame  in  the  next  degree  to  him :  as  he  was, 
so  were  they  in  the  world.     St.  Paul,  who  laboured  more 
abundantly  than  his  brethren,  experienced  a  larger  sliare  of 
dishonour  and  ill-treatment.    Though  educated  at  the  feet  of 
Gamaliel,  and  no  stranger  to  Grecian  literature,  when  he 
showed  himself  determined  to  know  nothing  but  Jesus,  and 
to  glory  only  in  his  cross,  he  was  accounted,  by  Jew  and 
Gentile,  as  the  filth  and  oiT-scouring  of  all  things  :  and  thus 
it  will  hold  universally.     If  therefore  any  who  sincerely 
espouse  the  Gospel,  meet  with  little  disturbance  or  censure, 
it  is  not  because  the  carnal  mind  is  better  reconciled  to  the 
truth  than  former'y  in  the  apostles*  days,  but  because  our 
zeal,  faith,  and  activity  are  so  much  inferior  to  theirs,  and  our 
conduct  more  conformable  to  the  prevailing  taste  around  us. 
4.  I  confess,  that,  (as  our  Saviour  has  taught  us  to  expect 
by  the  parable  of  the  tares,)  revivals  of  religion  have  been 
generally  attended  with  some  incidental  offences,  and  coun- 
terfeited by  many  false  appearances.      It  has   been  so  in 
times  past,  it  is  so  at  present,  and  we  are  far  from  justifying 
every  thing,  and  in  every  degree,  that  the  world  is  ready  to 
condemn.     However,  we  cannot  but  complain  of  a  want  of 
candour  and  ingenuousness  in  this  respect  also.     Many  who 
bring  loud  charges  against  what  is  irregular  and  blameable, 
are  evidentlj/^glad  of  the  opportunity  to  prejudice  and  alarm 
weak  minds ;  they  do  not  confine  their  reproof  to  what  is  er- 
roneous and  unscriptural,  but  endeavour,  by  ambiguous  ex- 
pressions, invidious  names,  and  indiscriminate  censures,  to 
obscure  the  state  of  the  question,  and  to  brand  error  and 
tiutli  with  the  same  mark  of  infamy  ;  they  either  cannot,  or 
will  pot,  distinguish  between  evangelical  principles  and  the 


INTRODXTCTrON.  IX 

abuse  of  them,  and  when  the  distinction  has  been  pointed 
out  to  them  again  and  again,  they  refuse  attention,  and  re- 
peat the  same  stale  misrepresentations  which  they  know 
have  been  often  refuted ;  they  will  not  allow  a  grain  for 
infirmity  or  inadvertence  in  those  whom  they  oppose,  while 
they  demand  the  largest  concessions  for  themselves  and  their 
adherents ;  they  expect  strict  demonstrations  from  others, 
while,  in  their  own  cause,  they  are  not  ashamed  to  produce 
slanders  for  proofs,  and  jests  for  arguments :  thus  they  tri- 
umph without  a  victory,  and  decide,  ea:  cathedra^  without  so 
much  as  entering  upon  the  merits  of  the  cause.  These  me- 
thods, however  successful,  are  not  new  inventions :  by  such 
arts  and  arras  as  these,  Christianity  was  opposed  from  its 
first  appearance ;  in  this  way  Lucian,  Celsus,  and  Julian,  era- 
ployed  their  talents,  and  made  themselves  famous  to  future 
times. 

I  judge  it  therefore  a  seasonable  undertaking,  to  attempt 
the  apology  of  Evangelical  Christianity,  and  to  obviate  the 
sophistry  and  calumnies  which  have  been  published  against 
it ;  and  this  I  hope  to  do,  without  engaging  in  any  contro- 
versy, by  a  plain  enumeration  of  facts.  I  propose  to  give  a 
brief  delineation  of  Ecclesiastical  History  from  our  Saviour's 
time ;  and,  tliat  the  reader  may  know  M'hat  to  expect,  I  shall 
here  subjoin  the  principal  points  T  have  in  view. 

I  shall  consider  the  genius  and  characteristic  marks  of  the 
Gospel  which  Jesus  taught,  and  show  that,  so  long  as  this 
Gospel  was  maintained  in  its  purity,  it  neither  admitted  nor 
found  a  neutrality,  but  that  all  who  were  not  partakers  of  its 
benefits,  were  exceedingly  enraged  against  it.  I  shall  make 
it  appear,  that  the  same  objections  which  have  attended  any 
reformations  in  later  ages,  were  equally  strong  against  Christ- 
ianity, as  taught  by  Christ  and  his  first  disciples ;  and  that 
the  ofi^ences  and  irregularities  which  have  been  known  to 
attend  a  revival  of  evangelical  doctrine  in  our  lime,  were 

Vol.  III.  o 


i  IKTRODrCTIOy. 

pievaleii(,  to  a  considerable  degree,  under  the  preaching  and 
ins])ection  of  the  aposUes. 

2.  Whon  I  cosne  to  the  li\-es  and  conduct  of  those  called 
the  Fathers,  whose  names  are  held  in  ignorant  admiration  by 
thousands,  I  shall  prove,  on  the  one  hand,  that  the  doctrines 
for  which  the  Fathers  were  truly  commendable,  and  by  which 
many  were  enabled  to  seal  their  profession  with  their  blood, 
were  the  same  which  are  now  branded  with  the  epithets  of 
absurd  and  enthusiastic  ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  that  the  Fa- 
thers, however  venerable,  were  men  like  ourselves,  subject 
to  mistakes  and  infirmities,  and  began  very  soon  to  depart 
from  the  purity  and  simplicity  of  the  Gospel. 
■  3.  The  progress  of  our  history  will  manifest  that  the  acces- 
sion of  wealth  and  power  to  the  Christian  profession  proved 
greatly  detrimental  to  tlie  faith,  discipline,  and  manners  of 
the  churches ;  so  that,  after  the  emperors  publicly  espoused 
the  cause  of  Christ,  the  power  and  beauty  of  the  Gospel  was 
gradually  eclipsed.  Yet,  in  the  most  degenerate  times,  God. 
had  a  spiritual  people,  who,  though  partaking  in  some  degree 
of  the  general  declension,  retained  so  much  of  the  primitive 
truth  and  practice  as  to  incur  the  hatred  and  persecution  of 
what  is  called  the  Christian  world. 

4.  I  shall  treat  of  the  means  and  instruments  by  which  the 
Lord  supported  and  revived  his  declining  cause  during  seve- 
ral centuries.  1.  In  the  valleys  of  Piedmont,  Provence,  Sec. 
by  Berengarius,  Waldo,  and  others.  2.  In  England,  by 
Wickliffe  and  his  followers.  3.  In  Bohemia,  by  John  Huss 
and  Jerome  of  Prague.  4.  In  Germany,  by  Luther.  Here  I 
shall  take  occasion  to  observe,  1.  That  these  successive  refor- 
mations were  all  projected  and  executed,  so  far  as  God  was 
pleased  to  give  success,  upon  the  same  principles  which  are 
now  so  industriousl}'^  exploded  by  many  who  would  be  thought 
champions  of  the  Protestant  faith.    2.  That  Luther's  refor- 


INTRODUCTIOiV.  XI 

malion,  the  most  extensive  and  successful,  and  of  whicli  we 
have  the  best  accounts,  was  soon  followed  by  enois,  heresies, 
and  a  numerous  train  of  abominations,  (as  had  been  the  case 
with  primitive  Christianity,)  which  the  Romanists,  in  imita- 
tion of  their  Pag-an  predecessors,  joyfully  laid  to  the  charge 
of  the  doctdne  which  Luther  preached. 

5.  As  it  was  not  long  before  the  reformed  countries  needed 
a  second  reformation,  I  shall  give  some  account  of  the  endea- 
vours.of  many  good  men  in  Germany  and  other  places  in  this 
^'iew,  their  principles,  success,  and  the  treatment  they  met 
with  from  those  who  ought  to  have  supported  them ;  and  then 
I  shall  briefly  take  notice  of  the  similar  occurrences  in  cur 
country,  from  the  end  of  Queen  Mary's  reign  to  the  present 
time,  together  with  wliat  has  been  most  remarkable  in  the 
history  of  the  Gospel  in  our  American  settlements. 

6.  I  shall  occasionally  consider  the  character  and  conduct 
of  those  persons  whom  God  has  honoured  with  eminent  use- 
fulness, in  the  different  periods  of  his  church,  point  out  the 
defects  in  their  plan,  and  the  mistakes  which,  through  infir- 
mity, in  some  degree  blemished  their  undertakings. 

7.  Finally,  to  make  it  evident  that  the  spiritual  worship- 
pers of  God  have  always  been  a  sect  every  where  spoken 
against,  I  shall  enumerate  some  of  the  reproachful  names 
that  have  been  successively  fixed  on  them,  as  the  mark  of 
general  contempt  and  abhorrence,  such  as  Patarienes,  Lol- 
lards, Hugenots,  Gospellers,  Puritans,  Pietists,  &g. 

These  particulars  will  be  illustrated  in  the  course  of  our 
history,  not  exactly  in  the  order  here  laid  down,  but  as  the 
series  of  the  narration  shall  require  or  suggest.  I  shall  not 
confine  myself  to  a  nice  uniformity  of  method,  or  a  dry  detail 
of  facts,  but  shall  endeavour  to  illustrate  and  apply  the  seve- 
ral mcidents  to  the  use  and  edification  of  common  readers, 
and  with  a  view  to  my  primary  design,  which  is,  (as  I 


Ill  INTRODUCnOSr. 

have  alieady  said,)  to  vindicate  the  doctrines  of  the  Refor- 
mation, or,  in  other  Avords,  the  main  doctrines  taught  in  the 
Articles  and  Homilies  of  the  Church  of  England,  from  those 
unjust  and  disingenuous  invectives  which  are  every  day  cast 
upon  them,  by  not  a  few  who  owe  all  their  distinction  and 
authority  to  their  having  solemnly  engaged  to  defend  them. 

Whoever  considers  the  intricacy  and  variety  of  Ecclesias- 
tical History,  and  that  the  best  collections  of  that  sprt  have 
swelled  to  a  number  of  folios,  will  not  expect  to  find  every 
thing  that  might  have  deserved  a  place.  The  life  of  a  man 
Would  hardly  suffice  to  furnish  a  work  of  this  sort  in  its  just 
extent. 

I  must  content  myself  with  selecting  a  competent  number 
of  the  most  authentic  and  interesting  topics,from  the  volumi- 
nous materials  already  published,  but  which,  either  from  the 
size  or  scarceness  of  the  books,  or  the  languages  in  which 
they  are  wiitten,  are  little  more  known  to  the  generality  of 
readers,  than  if  they  had  never  appeared  in  print. 

I  shall  avoid,  as  far  as  possible,  interfering  in  the 'contro- 
versies on  church  government,  reserving  to  mj'self, and  will- 
ingly leaving  to  others,  the  rights  of  private  judgment,  the 
just  privilege  of  Chiistians,  Protestants,  and  Britons. 

It  must  be  confessed  that  the  ])ulk  of  Ecclesiastical  History, 
as  it  is  generally  understood,  is  little  more  than  a  history  of 
Tivhat  the  passions,  prejudices,  and  interested  views  of  men 
have  prompted  them  to  perpetrate,  under  the  pretext  and 
sanction  of  religion.  Enough  has  been  wrote  in  this  way ; 
curiosity,  nay,  malice  itself,  need  desire  no  more.  I  propose 
to  open  a  more  pleasing  prospect,  to  point  out,  by  a  long 
succession  of  witnesses,  the  native  tendency  and  proper  in- 
fluence of  the  religion  of  Jesus ;  to  produce  the  concurring 
suffrage  of  different  ages,  people,  and  languages,  in  favour  of 
what  the  wisdom  of  tlie  \^orld  rejects  and  reviles ;  to  bring 


iNXRODUCTiON.  xiii 

unanswerable  proofs  that  the  doctrine  of  grace  is  a  doctrhie 
according-  to  godliness,  that  the  constraining  love  of  Chiist  is 
the  most  powerful  motive  to  obedience,  that  it  is  the  pro- 
perty of  true  faith  to  overcome  the  world,  and  that  the  true 
church  and  people  of  Christ  have  endured  his  cross  in  every 
age ;  the  enemy  has  thrust  sore  at  them  that  they  might  fall, 
but  the  Lord  has  been  their  refuge  and  support ;  they  are 
placed  upon  a  rock  that  caimot  be  shaken,  they  are  kept 
[ifpoypou/xEvot]  guarded  and  garrisoned  by  the  power  of  God, 
and  therefore  the  gates  of  hell  have  not,  cannot,  shall  not 
prevail  against  them. 

Per  damna,  per  caedes,  ab  ipso 
Ducit  opes  aniraumquc  ferro» 


PREFACE. 


A 


REVIEW  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  upon  the  plan  propos- 
ed in  the  Introduction,  is  a  subject  of  so  much  extent  and  diffi- 
culty, that,  if  I  had  not  entered  upon  it  before  my  admission 
into  the  ministry,  I  believe  I  should  not  have  attempted  it  af- 
terwards ;  for  I  soon  found  that  the  stated  care  of  a  large  pa- 
rish, and  a  due  attention  to  the  occasional  occurrences  of  every 
day,  would  leave  me  but  little  leisure  for  the  prosecution  of 
my  design.  Upon  these  accounts  it  was  wholly  intermitted 
for  several  years ;  and  my  progress  since  I  have  resumed  it, 
has  been  so  slow,  and  my  interruptions  so  many,  that  I  had 
almost  determined  to  content  myself  with  publishing,  in  a  single 
volume,  a  Review  of  the  First  Century.  However,  a  desire  of 
completing  the  work  has  prevailed,  and  I  send  this  abroad  with 
the  title  of  a  Jirst  volume,  because  I  hope  it  will  be  followed  by- 
more,  if  the  great  God,  who  has  the  sovereign  disposal  of  his 
creatures,  shall  be  pleased  to  afford  me  a  competent  measure  of 
healtli  and  ability  for  the  service  ;  but  if  he  should  see  fit  to 
appoint  otherwise,  I  hope  what  I  now  offer  to  the  public,  (though 
but  a  part  of  my  intended  plan,)  may  suffice  to  show  how  little 
just  ground  there  is  for  the  insinuations  and  invectives  which 
have  been  so  plentifully  thrown  out  against  the  preachers  and 
professors  of  those  doctrines,  which  were  once  esteemed  the 
life  and  glory  of  the  Protestant  name. 

I  cannot  expect  that  all  my  readers  will  be  pleased  with  the 
application  I  have  made  of  New  Testament  facts  to  the  state  of 
religion  in  our  times ;  but  as  I  am  not  conscious  that  I  have 
written  a  single  line  with  a  view  to  provoke  or  inflame,  I  have 
only  to  entreat  a  candid  perusal,  and  to  commit  the  issue  to 
Him  whom  I  desire  to  serve  with  my  spirit  in  the  Gospel  of 


XVI  PREFACE. 

his  Son.  I  have  long  thought  an  attempt  of  this  kind  would 
be  seasonable  ;  I  pray  that  it  may  be  useful.  If  it  should  in  any 
measure  contribute  to  remove  or  soften  the  prejudice  by  which 
great  numbers  are  prevented  from  attending  to  the  one  thing 
needful,  and  induced  to  speak  evil  of  tliat  which  they  know  not, 
I  shall  account  my  time  well  employed.  I  hope  I  have  been 
influenced  by  no  motives  but  the  love  of  truth,  and  a  desire  to 
promote  the  welfare  of  immortal  souls,  and  therefore  have  ex- 
pressed my  sentiments  with  plainness  and  freedom,  as  I  tliink 
it  behooves  every  one  to  do,  when  treating  on  subjects  in  which 
the  truths  of  God  and  the  souls  of  men  ai*e  immediately  con- 
cerned. 

Olney,  JOHN  NEWTON. 

JVbvemberf  1769. 


REVIEW 


6p 


ECCLESIASTICAL  HISTORY. 


Vol.  Iir.  B 


BOOK  I. 

OF  THE  FIRST  PERIOD  OF  CHRISTIANITY 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  Wisdom  and  Goodness  of  God  conspicuous  in  the  Period 
assigned  for  Christ'' s  Appearance :  illustrated  by  a  summarx] 
View  of  the  State  of  Ma7tkind  before  and  at  the  Time  of  Ids 
Birth. 


w. 


HEN  the  first  man  had  fallen  from  the  happiness 
and  perfection  of  his  creation,  had  rendered  himself 
corrupt  and  miserable,  and  was  only  capable  of  trans- 
mitting depravity  and  misery  to  his  posterity ;  the  good- 
ness of  God  immediately  revealed  a  remedy,  adequate 
to  his  distressed  situation.  The  Lord  Jesus  was  pro- 
mised under  the  character  oj'  the  seed  of  the  woman,  as 
the  great  deliverer  who  should  repair  the  breach  of  sin, 
and  retrieve  the  ruin  of  human  nature.  From  that  hour, 
he  became  the  object  of  faith,  and  the  author  of  salva- 
tion, to  every  soul  that  aspired  to  communion  with  God, 
and  earnestly  sought  deliverance  from  guilt  and  wrath. 
This  discovery  of  a  Saviour  was,  in  the  first  ages,  veiled 
under  types  and  shadows  :  and,  like  the  advancing  day, 
became  brighter  and  brighter,  as  the  time  of  his  mani- 
festation drew  near ;  but  it  was  always  sufficient  to 
sustain  the  hopes,  and  to  purify  the  hearts  of  the  true 
M'orshippers  of  God.    That  the  patriarchs  and  prophets 


4  A  Bevieio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  1. 

of  old  were  in  this  sense  Christians,  tliat  is  to  say,  that 
their  joy  and  trust  centred  in  the  promised  Messiah, 
and  that  the  faith,  whereby  they  overcame  the  world, 
was  the  same  faith  in  the  same  Lord  with  ours,  is  un- 
answerably ffroved  by  St.  Paul  in  several  passages*  : 
particularly  in  Heb.  xi.  where  he  at  large  insists  on  the 
characters  of  Abel,  Enoch,  Noah,  Abraham,  and  Mo- 
ses, to  illustrate  this  very  point. 

At  length,  in  the  fulness  of  timef,  (as  the  apostle 
speaks,)  the  time  marked  out  by  the  ancient  prophecies, 
the  time  to  which  all  the  previous  dispensations  of  Di- 
vine Providence  had  an  express  reference  and  subor- 
dination, and  which  -vvas  peculiarly  suited  to  place  the 
manifold  wisdom  of  God,  and  the  truths  of  divine  reve- 
lation in  the  clearest  light;  the  long-expected  Messiah 
appeared,  as  the  surety  and  Saviour  of  sinners,  to  ac- 
complish the  great  work  of  redemption.  For  these 
purposes  he  was  born  of  a  virgin,  of  the  family  of 
David,  at  the  town  of  Bethlehem,  as  the  prophets  had 
foretold.  This  great  event  took  place  in  the  27th  year 
ot  the  reign  of  Augustus  Ceesar,  (computing  from  the 
battle  ol  ActiumJ;)  and,  according  to  the  most  re- 
ceived authorities,  almost  1920  years  from  the  calling 
of  Abraham,  and  about  4000  from  the  creation. 

The  pride  and  vanity  of  man,  which  prompt  him  to 
oavi!  with  his  Maker,  and  to  dispute  when  he  ought  to 
obey,  liavc  often  objected  to  the  expedience  ^nd  pro- 
priety <jf  this  appointment.  It  has  been  asked,  if 
Christ's  appearance  was  so  absolutely  necessary,  why 
was  it  so  long  deferred  r  or,  it  mankind  could  do  with- 
out him  for  so  niany  thousand  years,  why  not  longer  or 

*  Rom.  iv.;  Gal.  iii.  16,  17.  t  Gal.  iv.  4. 

I  Bossuct  Umv.  Hist.      Pridcj^ux  Connect 


Gliap.  1.        A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Hhlorij.  5 

forever?  In  attempting  a  solution  of  this  difficulty, 
some  well  meaning  persons,  from  a  too  earnest  a  desire 
to  render  the  counsels  of  God  more  acceptable  to  the 
narrow  apprehensions  of  unsanctified  reason,  have 
given  up  the  ground  they  ought  to  have  maintained, 
and  made  such  concessions  as,  (if  extended  to  their  just 
consequence,)  would  amount  to  all  that  the  most  har- 
dened infidel  can  desire.  The  most  direct  and  proper 
answer  is  suggested  by  St.  Paul  on  a  similar  occasion*, 
*'  Who  art  thou,  O  man,  that  repliest  against  God  ?" 
That  the  will  and  wisdom  of  the  Creator  should  direct 
and  limit  the  inquiries  of  his  rational  creatures,  is  a 
principle  highly  consonant  to  right  reason  itself  And 
there  can  hardly  be  a  stronger  proof  of  human  depra- 
vity, than  that  this  argument  is  so  generally  esteemed 
inconclusive.  But  waiving  this,  a  sufficient  answer  may 
^e  made,  from  the  premises  already  advanced. 

God  was  not  a  debtor  to  sinful  men.  He  might 
have  left  them  all  to  perish,  (as  he  left  the  sinning 
angels,)  without  the  least  inripeachment  of  his  good- 
ness. But  his  mercy  interposed,  and  he  spared  not 
his  own  Son,  that  sinners  might  be  saved  in  a  way 
consistent  with  his  perfections.  But  though,  in  com- 
passion to  us,  he  provided  the  means  of  salvation ;  we 
cannot  wonder,  that,  in  justice  to  himself,  he  laid  the 

*  Rom.  ix.  20.  It  is  observable  in  this  passage,  that  the 
apostle  foresees  and  states  the  great  objection  which  would  be 
made  to  his  doctrine  ;  but  does  not  attempt  to  answer  it  any- 
further,  than  by  referring  all  to  the  will  of  him  who  formed  the 
whole  mass,  and  has  a  right  to  dispose  of  it.  Had  succeeding 
■writers  and  teachers  imitated  his  example,  declared  the  plain 
truth  in  plain  words,  and  avoided  vain  and  endless  reasonings, 
how  many  offences  v,  ould  have  been  prevented  ! 


6  A  llemeto  of  Eccledastieal  History.         Book  1. 

plan  in  such  a  manner  as  might  most  clearly  illustrate 
the  riches  of  his  own  grace,  and  most  effectually  hum- 
ble and  silence  the  pardoned  offenders;  to  prevent  their 
boasting  and  trusting  in  themselves,  and  to  give  them 
the  most  affecting  views  of  his  unmerited  goodness. 
We  may,  therefore,  humbly  conceive  one  reason,  why 
Christ  was  no  sooner  manifested  in  the  flesh,  to  have 
been,  that  the  nature,  effects,  and  inveteracy  of  sin 
hiight  be  more  evidently  known ;  and  the  insufficiency 
of  every  other  means  of  relief  demonstrated,  by  the 
universal  experience  of  many  ages. 

What  is  the  history  of  mankind,  but  a  diffusive  ex- 
emplification of  the  Scripture  doctrines,  concerning  the 
dreadful  nature  and  effects  of  sin,  and  the  desperate 
wickedness  of  the  heart  of  man  !  We  are  accustomed 
from  our  infancy  to  call  evil  good,  and  good  evil.  We 
acquire  an  early  prejudice  in  favour  of  heroes,  con- 
querors, and  philosophers.  But  if  we  consider  the  fact? 
recorded  in  the  annals  of  antiquity,  divested  of  the 
false  glare  and  studied  ornaments  with  which  the  vanity 
of  writers  has  disguised  them,  they  will  afford  but  a 
dark  and  melancholy  review.  The  spirit  of  the  first- 
born Cain  appears  to  have  influenced  the  whole  human 
pace :  the  peace  of  nations,  cities,  and  families,  has 
been  continually  disturbed  by  the  bitter  effects  of  am- 
bition, avarice,  revenge,  cruelty,  and  lust.  The  ge- 
neral knowledge  of  God  was  soon  lost  out  of  the 
world ;  and,  when  his  fear  was  set  aside,  the  restraints, 
dictated  by  the  interests  of  civil  society,  were  always 
too  weak  to  prevent  the  most  horrid  evils.  In  a  word, 
the  character  of  all  ages  and  countries  before  the  com- 
ing of  Christ,  (a  few  excepted,  where  the  light  of  reve- 
lation was  afforded,)  is  strongly,  though  briefly  drawn 


€hap.  1.        A  Review  of  Ecclesia&iieal  History.  7 

by  St.  Paul*.  "  Foolish"  and  infatuated  to  the  highest 
degree,  "disobedient"  to  the  plainest  dictates  of  nature, 
reason,  and  conscience,  "  enslaved  f  to  divers"  disho- 
nourable "  lusts  and  pleasures,  living  in  malice  and 
"  envy,  hateful "  and  abomininable  in  themselves,  and 
incessantly  *'  hating"  and  worrying  "  one  another." 

.  It  would  be  more  easy  than  pleasant  to  make  out 
this  charge  by  a  long  induction  of  particulars.  And, 
without  having  recourse  to  the  most  savage  and  uncul- 
tivated, the  proof  might  be  rested  on  the  character  of 
the  two  most  celebrated  and  civilized  nations,  and  at 
the  time  of  their  greatest  refinement,  the  Greeks  and 
the  Romans.  St,  Paul  has  given  us  the  result  of  their 
boasted  improvements^  in  arts  and  sciences,  in  war 
and  commerce,  in  philosophy  and  literature ;  and  he 
says  no  more  than  is  abundantly  confirmed  by  their 
own  poets  and  historians.  Notwithstanding  the  marks 
and  fruits  of  fine  taste  and  exalted  genius  which 
were  found  amongst  them,  they  were  habitually  aban* 
doned  to  the  grossest  vices.  Devoted  to  the  most  stu- 
pid "  idolatry,"  they  worshipped  the  works  of  their  own 
hands  ;  nay,  erected  altars  to  their  follies  and  passions. 
Their  moral  characters  were  answerable  to  their  princi- 
ples. "  Without  natural  affection,"  they  frequently  ex- 
posed their  helpless  infants  to  perish.  They  burned 
with  "  lusts"  not  to  be  named  without  horror ;  and  this 

»  Titus  iii.  3. 

t  *'  Enslaved,^'  So  the  original  term  may  be  emphatically 
rendered  ;  at  the  control  of  various  and  opposite  passions,  hur- 
ried about  by  them  all  in  their  turns,  and  incapable  of  resisting 
or  refusing  the  motions  of  any. 

J  Rom.  i.  from  v.  21.  to  the  end.  An  affecting  comment  on 
this  passage  might  be  collerted  from  Horace,  Juvenal,  Sallust, 
3"nd  Suetonius. 


8  A  Rev'icio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  I.* 

not  the  meaner  sort  only,  or  in  secret,  but  some  of  their 
finest  spirits  and  most  admired  writers*  were  sunk  so 
low  as  to  glory  in  their  shame,  and  openly  avow  them- 
selves the  disgrace  of  humanity.  In  their  public  con- 
cerns, (notwithstanding  their  specious  pretences,)  they 
were  "covenant  breakers,  implacable,  unmerciful," and 
"  unjust."  Guilty  of  the  severest  oppression,  while  th§y 
boasted  highly  of  equity  and  moderation^  ;  as  was  par- 
ticularly manifested  on  the  destruction  of  Carthage  and 
Corinth  :  two  memorable  instances  of  the  spirit  of  a 
government,  so  undeservedly  admired  in  after-times. 
And  as  the  Roman  power,  so  the  Grecian  eloquence 
was  perverted  to  the  worst  purposes  ;  to  palliate  crimes, 
to  consecrate  folly,  and  to  recommend  falsehood  under 
the  guise  and  semblance  of  truth. 

Such  was  the  character  of  the  people,  reputed  the 
wisest  and  the  best  of  the  heathens  ;  and  particularly  so 
at  the. birth  of  Christ,  when  the  Roman  empire  was  at 
the  summit  of  authority  and  splendour.  A  long  expe- 
rience had  shown  the  general  depravity  to  be  not  only 
inveterate,  but  incurable.  For,  during  several  pre- 
ceding ages,  a  reformation  had  been  desired  and  at- 
tempted. The  principal  leaders  in  this  commendable 
design  were  called  philosophers,  and  many  of  their 
writings  are  still  extant.     It  must  be  ackno\ylcdged,  that 


*  See  Virgil.  Eclog.  ii. 

t  See  Acts  xxvii.  42.  The  soldiers  would  have  killed  all  llic' 
prisoners,  right  or  wrong,  rather  thcji  one  of  them  should  have 
a  possibility  of  escaping  :  and  in  this,  without  doubt,  they  con- 
sulted their  own  safety,  and  the  spirit  of  their  laws.  Why,  then 
were  the  Romans  so  much  admired?  Could  there  be  a  greater 
proof  of  cruelty  and  injustice  found  amongst  the  most  barbarous 
i\ations,  than  to  leave  prisoners,  who  possibly  might  be  innoccnt- 
e!?posed  to  the  wanton  caprice  of  their  keepers  ? 


"Chap.  1.         A  Revleiv  of  JEcclesiastical  History.  9 

some  of  them  had  a  faint  view  of  several  important 
truths;  but,  as  they  neither  knew  the  cause  and  extent 
of  the  disorder,  nor  the  only  effectual  remedy,  they 
met  with  little  success.  Their  schemes  were  various, 
inconsistent,  and  even  opposite ;  and  each  party  more 
successful  in  opposing  the  fallacy  of  other  sects,  than  iii 
maintaining  their  own.  Those  who  came  nearest  the 
truth,  and  were  in  earnest  to  promote  it,  were  very  few. 
Even  these  were  ignorant  of  some  things  absolutely  ne- 
cessary to  the  attainment  of  the  desired  end.  The  best  of 
them  were  restrained'by  the  fear  of  men,  and  a  regard 
to  established  customs.  What  they  could  and  did  pro- 
pound, they  had  not  sufficient  authority,  or  influence, 
to  impress  upon  the  consciences  of  men.  And  if,  in  a 
few  instances,  they  seemed  to  succeed,  the  advantage 
was  only  imaginary.  Where  they  prevailed  on  any  to 
relinquish  intemperance,  they  made  them  full  amends, 
by  gratifying  their  pride.  The  business  passed  from 
hand  to  hand,  from  sect  to  sect,  but  all  to  no  purpose. 
After  innumerable  disputations,  and  volumes,  concern- 
ing the  supreme  good,  the  beauty  of  virtue,  the  fitness 
of  things,  and  other  high-sounding  topics,  they  left  mat- 
ters as  bad  or  worse  than  they  found  them.  They  could 
not  effectually  inculcate  their  doctrine  upon  a  single 
village  or  family.  Nay,  they  were  out  half  persuaded 
themselves,  and  could  not  act  up  to  their  own  princi- 
ples, when  they  most  needed  their  support*. 

A  still  more  affecting  view  of  the  degeneracy  of  hu* 
man  nature  we  have  in  the  history  of  the  Israelites, 
whom  God  was  pleased  to  set  apart  from  the  rest  of 
mankind)  for  several  important  purposes.  He  revealed 

*  Witness  the  prevarication  of  Socrates,  and  the  irresolution 
of  Cicero,  towards  the  flase  of  their  lives. 

Vol.  in.  C 


10  A  Revieio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  I. 

himself  to  this  people  when  they  were  groaning  under  a 
heavy  bondage  in  Egypt,  from  which  they  had  neither 
spirit  nor  power  to  deliver  tliemselves.  He  freed  them 
from  their  captivity  by  a  series  of  illustrious  miracles. 
He  led  them  through  the  sea  and  the  desert.  He  ho- 
noured them  with  the  symbols  of  his  immediate  pre- 
sence ;  was  a  wall  of  fire  round  about  them,  and  a 
glory  in  the  midst  of  them.  He  spoke  to  them  with  an 
audible  voice,  and  fed  them  with  manna  from  heaven. 
He  put  them  in  possession  of  a  good  land,  and  fought 
against  all  their  enemies.  Might  it  not  have  been  ex- 
pected that  a  people  so  highl}'  favoured  and  honoured 
should  have  been  obedient  and  thankful?  Some  of 
them  were  so.  His  grace  always  preserved  a  spiritual 
people  amongst  them,  whose  faith  in  the  Messiah  taught 
them  the  true  meaning  of  the  Leviticai  law,  and  in- 
spired them  with  zeal  and  sincerity  in  the  service  of 
God.  But  the  bulk  of  the  nation  was  always  refrac- 
tory and  disobedient.  While  in  the  wilderness,  they 
murmured  against  the  Lord  upon  every  new  difficulty. 
Within  a  tew  days  after  the  law  had  been  delivered  in 
flames  and  thunder  from  the  top  of  Sinai,  they  formed 
a  molten  calf  to  worship,  and  would  have  made  a  cap- 
tain who  might  lead  them  back  into  Egypt.  They 
despised  tiie  good  land;  therefore  tlieir  carcasses*  fell 

*  1  Cor.  X.  5.  They  were  overthrown  in  the 'wiklerness.  Ka- 
TscTTgitSiic-av,  they  fell  in  heaps,  like  grass  before  the  scythe ;  and 
tl'is,  after  all  the  great  things  they  had  seen  and  been  partakers 
of.  Of  the  many  hundred  thousands,  -who  were  above  twenty 
years  old,  vvhen  they  were  delivered  from  Egypt,  only  two  per- 
sons were  spared  to  enter  the  promised  land.  A  striking  admo- 
nition to  us,  not  to  rest  in  the  p?.rticipation  of  external  privileges 
of  any  kind.  For  these  people  had  seen  the  Lord's  wonders  at 
the  Red  Sea,  had  rejoiced  in  the  destruction  of  the  Egyptians, 
and  been  fed  v.'ith  manna  from  heaven. 


Ghap.  1.         A  Rcvien)  qf  Ecclesiastical  H'lstortj.  il 

in  the  wilderness.  Tlieir  posterity  retained  the  same 
spirit.  Tliey  learned  the  ways  of  the  heathen,  whom 
the  Lord  cast  out  before  them.  They  adopted  every 
idolatrous  practice,  they  transgressed  every  divine  com- 
mand. During  a  long  succession  of  warnings,  chas- 
tisements, and  deliverances,  they  became  worse  and 
worse  ;  so  that,  in  Jeremiah's  time,  they  equalled,  or 
exceeded,  the  heatlicns  around  them  in  ignorance  and 
wickedness.  They  mocked  the  messengers  of  God, 
despised  his  words,  and  misused  his  prophets,  till  his 
wrath  arose  against  them,  and  there  was  no  remedy. 
At  length  their  land  was  laid  waste,  Jerusalem  burnt, 
the  greater  patt  of  the  people  destroyed,  and  the  re- 
mainder carried  captives  into  Chaldea. 

Upon  their  return  from  captivity,  they  seemed,  for 
a  little  while,  to  retain  a  sense  of  their  duty,  and  of 
the  judgments  they  had  suffered.  But  all  was  soon 
forgot.  Their  wickedness  now  put  on  a  new  form,  and 
discovered  the  evil  of  the  heart  of  man  in  a  new  point 
of  view.  They  were  no  longer  prone  to  idolatry. 
They  avoided  the  most  distant  appearance  of  it  with 
scrupulous  exactness;  and  professed  the  highest  attach- 
ment to  God.  They  boasted  themselves  in  his  law ; 
and,  from  a  presumption  that  they  were  his  peculiar 
people,  they  despised  and  hated  the  rest  of  mankind. 
It  is  not  our  present  concern,  closely  to  follow  their 
history.  Let  it  suffice  to  say,  that,  by  substituting  a 
regard  to  the  letter  of  the  law,  in  the  place  of  spiritual 
obedience,  and  by  presuming  to  multiply  their  own  in- 
ventions and   traditions*,  and  to  hold   them  no  less 

*  See  one  instance,  Matt.  xv.  5.  The  expression  is  rather  ob- 
scure ;  but  the  sense  is,  "  What  you  might  expect  from  me  for 
"  your  support,!  have  put  ovit  of  my  own  power;  it  is  devoted  to  the 
"  service  of  God  and  the  temple."     And  teachers  allowed  this  to 


1';^  A  Revieto  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  I. 

binding  than  the  positive  commands  of  God  ;  they,  by 
degrees,  attained  to  a  pitch  of  impiety  unknown  to  for- 
mer times  ;  and  which  was  so  much  the  more  offensive- 
and  abominable,  as  it  was  covered  with  the  mask  of 
religion,  and  accompanied  with  a  claim  to  superior 
sanctity. 

Pride,  hypocrisy,  and  interest,  divided  them  into 
sects ;  and  the  contests  of  each  party  for  superiority, 
threw  the  state  into  frequent  commotions.  Their  in- 
trigues at  length  brought  upon  them  the  Roman  power. 
The  city  was  taken  by  Pompey  ;  and,  though  they  af- 
terwards retained  a  shadow  of  liberty,  their  government 
was  determined,  from  that  time,  by  the  will  of  the  con- 
querors. At  length  Herod,  a  foreigner,  obtained  it. 
In  his  reign  Christ  was  born. 

Thus  the  state  of  mankind,  before  the  coming  of 
Christ,  proved,  with  the  fullest  evidence,  the  necessity 
of  his  interposition.  And,  in  the  mean  time,  the  world 
had  not  been  left  utterly  helpless  and  hopeless.  His 
future  advent  had  been  revealed  from  the  beginning; 
and,  by  faith  in  that  revelation,  a  remnant  had  sub- 
sisted in  every  age,  who  had  triumphed  over  the  gene-' 
ral  evil,  and  maintained  the  cause  of  God  and  truth. 
It  was  not  necessary  to  the  salvation  of  these  that  he 
should  have  been  manifested  sooner;  for  they  beheld 
his  day  afar  off,  and  rejoiced  in  his  name.  A\  ith  re- 
spect to  otha^s,  destitute  of  divine  faith,  his  incarna- 
tion would  have  had  the  same  effect  at  any  period,  as 

be  a  lcg?.l  exemption.  Any  man  uho  would  pay  handsomely  Iq 
the  priests  and  the  temple,  might  ti'eat  his  parents  as  he  pleased. 
Thus  thev  set  aside  the  express  command  of  God,  by  their  own 
authority,  and  lor  their  own  advantage.  The  sam.e  dispensings 
commuting,  engrossing  spirit,  has  too  often  appeared  iji  the 
Christian  church. 


Chap.  1.  J  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Hist  or  ij.  13 

it  had  on  multitudes  who  actually  saw  him  in  the  flesh, 
but,  offended  with  the  meanness  of  his  circumstances, 
and  the  great  honours  he  vindicated  to  himsell,  reject- 
ed him  with  disdain. 

But  further.  The  late  appearance  of  Christ  in  the 
-world  jiave  room  for  the  full  accomplishment  of  the 
prophecies  concerning  him,  which  had  been  repeated  at 
different  times  with  increasing  clearness  and  precision; 
insomuch,  that  the  time,  place,  and  every  circumstance 
of  his  birth,  life,  and  death,  had  been  distinctly  fore- 
told. Thus  the  truth  and  authority  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment were  confirmed  ;  and  the  wisdom,  power,  and  pro- 
vidence of  God,  over-ruling  and  directing  the  contin- 
gencies of  human  affairs  to  produce  this  grand  event 
in  its, determinate  period,  were  displayed  to  the  highest 
advantage.  And  as  the  state  of  the  moral  world  made 
his  presence  highly  necessary,  so  God,  in  due  time, 
disposed  the  political  state  of  mankind  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  to  prepare  the  way  for  a  speedy  and  general 
publication  of  the  Gospel  through  the  world. 

It  would  be  pleasing  to  consider  how  the  rise,  and 
fall,  and  change  of  empires,  were  made  successively 
subservient  to  introduce  the  kingdom  of  Jesus.  But 
this  would  lead  me  beyond  my  present  bounds.  I  can 
only  just  hint  at  two  or  three  events  which  had  a  more 
general  influence.  The  first  is,  the  rapid  progress  of 
Alexander,  whose  extensive  conquests,  divided  amongst 
his  successors,  laid  the  foundation  of  four  powerful  mon- 
archies, and  opened  an  intercourse  between  countries 
till  then  unknown  to  each  other.  By  this  means  the 
Greek  tongue  became  familiar  and  common  to  many 
nations ;  and  soon  after  the  Hebrew  Scriptures  were 
translated  into  that  language,  and  the  prophecies  con- 
-ceruing  the  .jMessiah  were  laid   open  to  the  Gentiles* 


14  A  Eevk'w  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  I. 

To  this  may  be  added  the  several  dispersions  of  the 
Jews ;  who,  upon  various  occasions,  had  been  settled 
in  almost  every  considerable  city  under  the  heathen  go- 
vernments. By  their  traditions  and  prophecies,  imper- 
fectly understood,  a  general  expectation  had  been  raised 
of  some  extraordinary  deliverer,  who  would  shortly  ap- 
pear. Lastly,  by  the  growth  of  the  Roman  empire, 
many  nations  and  people,  who  were  before  acquainted 
b};  means  of  one  common  language,  became  more 
closely  united  under  one  dominion.  Every  province 
had  a  necessary  connexion  with  Rome  ;  and  Rome  was 
the  centre  and  resort  of  the  greatest  part  of  the  then 
habitable  world. 

As  to  the  Jews,  many  things  concurred  to  animate 
their  wishes  and  expectations  of  the  Messiah's  approach. 
The  prophecies  were  in  their  hands.  Many  of  their 
wise  men  w  ere  apprised  that  the  term  of  seventy  weeks, 
spoken  of  by  Daniel,  was  drawing  to  a  period.  The 
sceptre  seemed  departing  from  Judah ;  they  groaned 
under  a  foreign  yoke,  from  which,  they  vainly  ima- 
gined, the  Messiah  would  set  them  free,  and  give  them, 
in  their  turn,  a  temporal  dominion  over  the  nations  of 
the  earth.  Though  this  mistake  prompted  them  to  re- 
ject Christ  when  he  preached  a  deliverance  unsuitable  to 
their  worldly  notions,  yet  it  made  them  solicitous  and 
eager  for  the  appearance  of  the  person  on  whom  their 
hopes  were  fixed.  A  few  amongst  them,  however,  bet- 
ter instructed  in  the  true  meaning  of  the  prophecies, 
were  secretly  waiting,  in  the  exercises  of  faith  and 
prayer,  for  the  consolation  of  Israel*. 

From  this  general  view  of  the  moral  and  political 
state  of  mankind,  and  the  leading  designs  of  divine  rc- 

n^;' .V  J''  *  Luke  ii.  25. 


Chap.  2.        A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  15 

velation  and  providence,  previous  to  the  birth  of  Christ, 
we  may  conclude,  that  the  time  fixed  on  from  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world  for  his  actual  exhibition  amongst 
men  was  not  an  arbitrary,  but  a  wise  and  gracious  ap- 
pointment ;  a  determination  admirably  suited  to  place 
the  most  important  truths  in  the  strongest  light.  In 
this  way,  the  depravity,  misery,  and  helplessness  of 
man,  the  mercy  of  God,  and  the  truth  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, were  unquestionably  proved  to  all  succeeding 
times.  The  necessity  of  a  Saviour  Avas  felt  and  ac- 
knowledged ;  and  the  suitableness,  all-sufficiency,  and 
condescension  of  Jesus,  when  he  undertook  and  ac- 
complished the  great  designs  in  which  his  love  engag- 
ed him,  were  more  strongly  illustrated  by  the  preced- 
ing contrast.  He  knew  the  whole  human  race  were 
sinners,  rebels,  enemies  against  God  :  he  knew  the 
terms,  the  price  of  our  redemption  ;  that  he  must  obey, 
suffer,  weep,  and  die.  Yet  he  came.  He  emptied 
himself  of  his  glory  and  honour,  and  took  on  him  the 
form  of  a  servant,  to  bring  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation 
to  men.  In  effect,  the  Gospel  of  Christ  soon  appeared 
to  be  the  great  desidei^atum,  and  completely  redressed 
the  evils  which  philosophy  had  given  up  as  desperate. 
The  genius  and  characteristic  marks  of  this  Gospel  will 
be  considered  in  the  following  chapter. 


CHAPTER  II. 

'^The  Character  and  Geiiius  of  the  Gospel,  as  taught  and  exem-, 
plijied  bii  Christ. 

l\.  SUCCINCT  history  of  the  life  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  is  no   part  of  our  plan.     This   the  inspired 


16  A  Bevicw  of  Ecclesiastical  Hisiorij.         Book  I* 

evangelists  have  performed  with  the  highest  advanta<?e 
and  authority;  and  their  writings,  (^through  the  mercy  of 
God,)  are  generally  known  and  read  in  our  own  tongue. 
It  will  be  sufficient  for  me  to  select  a  few  passages  from 
them,  to  explain  and  confirm  the  several  points  I  have 
proposed  to  treat  of  in  this  book,  as  principles  whereon 
to  ground  our  observations  on  the  spirit  and  conduct  of 
after-times. 

At  present  I  propose  to  state  the  true  character  and 
genius  of  his  doctrine.  This  may  seem  a  digression 
from  my  main  design  ;  but,  as  I  shall  often  have  occa- 
sion to  speak  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  opposition  it  has 
met  with,  it  will  not  be  improper,  in  the  first  place,  to 
exhibit  a  general  idea  of  what  we  mean  by  the  Gospel ; 
especially  as  the  professed  followers  of  Christhave  beeiij 
and  still  are,  not  a  little  divided  upon  the  point. 

We  may  describe  the  Gospel  to  be — A  divine  reve^ 
lation  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christy  discovering  the  7ni- 
sery  of  fallen  man  hj  sin,  and  the  means  of  his  complete 
recovery  by  the  free  grace  of  God,  throughfaith,  unto 
holiness  and  happiness.  The  explication  and  proof  of 
these  particulars  from  our  Lord's  express  declarations, 
and  the  tenour  of  his  conduct,  will  sufficiently  point  out 
the  principal  marks  and  characters  of  his  Gospel.  But 
before  we  enter  upon  this,  two  things  may  be  premised. 

1.  Though  I  confine  myself  to  the  writings  of  the 
evangelists  in  this  disquisition,  yet  it  should  be  remem- 
bered, that  M  hilst  our  Lord  was  visibly  conversant  with 
men,  he  did  not  ordinarily  discover  the  whole  system 
of  his  doctrine  in  express  terms.  He  spoke  to  the  mul- 
titude, for  the  most  part,  in  parables*,  and  was  not  for- 
ward to  proclaim  himself  the  Messiah  upon  every  focca- 

•*   Mall.  :-:i!i.  10,  11.  t  Ch.  xvi.  20. 


€hap.  2.         A  Revieio  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  17 

sion.  And,  even  in  his  more  intimate  discourses  with 
his  disciples,  he  taught  them  with  a  wise  and  gracious 
accommodation  to  their  circumstances  and  weakness*. 
The  full  explanation  of  many  things,  he  referred  to  the 
time  when,  having  accomplished  his  wish,  and  returned 
victorious  and  triumphant  into  heaven,  he  should  send 
down,  according  to  his  promise,  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  ea- 
lighten  and  comfort  his  people.  Then|,  and  not  before, 
they  fully  understood  the  meaning  of  all  they  had  seen 
and  heard  while  he  was  with  them. 

2.  The  doctrine  of  the  Gospel  is  not  like  a  mathe- 
matical problem,  which  conveys  precisely  the  same  de- 
gree of  truth  and  certainty  to  every  one  that  under- 
stands the  terms.  If  so,  all  believers  would  be  equally 
enlightened,  who  enjoy  the  common  privilege  of  the 
written  word.  But  there  is,  in  fact,  an  amazing  variety 
in  this  respect.  Where  this  doctrine  is  truly  undt  rstood, 
though  in  the  lowest  degree,  it  inspires  the  soul  with  a 
supreme  love  to  Jesus,  and  a  trust  in  him  for  salvation. 
And  those  who  understand  it  best  have  not  yet  received 
all  the  evidence,  comfort,  and  influence  from  it  which  it 
is  capable  of  affording.  The  riches  of  grace  and  vvis^ 
dom  in  this  dispensation  are  unsearchable:|:  and  im- 
mense, imparted  in  different  measures,  and  increased 
from  time  to  time,  according  to  the  good  pleasure^  of 

*  John  xvi.  12.  25.  Our  Lord  taught  his  disciples  gradually  j 
their  knowledge  advanced  as  the  light,  or,  (according  to  his  own 
beautiful  simile,)  first  the  blade,  then  the  ear;  first  green  corn, 
then  fully  ripe.  He  considered  their  difficulties,  he  made  allow- 
ance for  their  infirmities.  It  is  to  be  wished  his  example  was 
followed  by  all  who  teach  in  his  name.  Some  are  so  hasty,  they 
expect  to  teach  to  others  in  one  discourse  or  interview,  all  that/ 
they  have  attained  themselves  by  the  study  and  experience  of 
many  years, 
t  Mark  ix.  10.;  John  n.  23.     i:  Ephes.  iii.  8.     §   1  Cer.  xii.  U. 

Vol.  III.  I-) 


j^'iK 


IS  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastlail  History.  Book  I. 

the  Spirit  of  God,  who  furnishes  his  people  with  light 
and  strength  proportioned  to  their  exigencies,  situation, 
and  the  services  or  trials  he  calls  them  to ;  not  without 
respect  to  the  degree  of  their  diligence,  obedience,  and 
simplicity  in  waiting  upon  him.  For  these  reasons,  it  is 
not  to  be  expected  that  every  one  who  serves  God  with 
his  spirit  in  the  Gospel  of  his  Son,  should  have  exactly 
the  same  views  of  this  sublime  subject.  Neither  do  I 
presume  to  think  myself  capable  of  displaying  it  in  its 
full  light  and  beauty.  I  desire,  therefore,  to  write  with 
candour,  and  entreat  a  candid  perusal,  as  conscious  of 
my  infirmities,  and  the  imperfections  necessarily  attend- 
ing the  human  mind,  in  this  present  state  of  things. 
Yet  I  am  not  afraid  to  express  my  just  confidence,  that 
I  shall  advance  no  principle,  as  a  part  of  the  Gospel 
doctrine,  which  does  not  assuredly  belong  to  it. 

I  now  proceed  to  explain  and  confirm  the  definition 
I  have  given  of  the  Gospel. 

].  It  is  a  divine  revelation,  a  discovery  of  truths 
M'hich,  though  of  the  highest  moment,  could  have 
been  known  no  other  w  ay.  That  God  will  forgive  sin^ 
"  is  beyond  the  power  of  unassisted  reason  to  prove. 
The  prevailing  custom  of  sacrifices  is,  indeed,  founded 
ufM>n  such  a  hope;  but  this  practice  was,  without 
doubt,  derived  from  revelation,  for  reason  could 
not  have  suggested  such  an  expedient.  And  those 
among  the  lieathens,  whether  priests  or  philosophers,, 
w'iio  spoke  of  forgiveness  of  sin,  knew  but  little  what 
sin  was.  Revelation  was  neediul,  to  discover  sin  in  its 
true  nature  and  demerit :  and  uhere  this  is  known,  the 
awakened  and  wounded  conscience  is  not  easily  per- 
suaded that  a  just  and  holy  God  will  pardon  iniquity. 
So  likewise  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  after  all  the  fine 
things  said  upon  the  subject,  remained  a  problematical 


Chap.  2.        A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  19 

point  among  the  heathen.  Their  best  arguments,  though 
conclusive  to  us,  were  not  so  to  themselves*.  When 
they  laid  aside  their  books,  and  returned  to  the  common 
affairs  of  life,  they  forgot  the  force  of  their  own  de- 
monstrations; But  the  Gospel  of  Christ  is  an  express, 
complete,  and  infallible  revelation,  as  he  himself  often 
assured  his  hearers^. 

And  as  the  subject-matter  of  the  Gospel  contained 
in  the  New  Testament  is  a  revelation  from  God,  so  it  is 
only  by  a  divine  revelation,  that  what  is  there  read  or 
heard  can  be  truly  understood.  This  is  an  offensive  as- 
sertion, but  must  not  be  omitted,  when  the  question  is 
concerning  the  marks  and  characters  of  Christ's  doc- 
trine. Thus  when  Peter  made  that  noble  confession^, 
"  Thou  art  Christ  the  Son  of  the  living  God,"  our  Lord 
answers,  "  Blessed  art  thou,  Simon,  for  flesh  and  blood 
"  hath  not  revealed  this  to  thee,  but  my  Father  which 
"  is  in  heaven."  If  Peter  could  read,  and  had  the 
Scriptures  to  peruse,  these  were  advantages  derived 
from  flesh  and  blood,  from  his  birth,  parents,  and 
teachers;  advantages  which  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees, 
our  Lord's  most  inveterate  enemies,  enjoyed  in  common 
with  him.  The  difference  lay  in  a  revelation  of  the 
truth  to  his  heart.  As  it  is  said  in  another  place§,  "  Thou 

*  Cicero  frankly  confesses  this.  Nescio  quomodo,  duni  lego, 
assentior ;  cum  posui  librum,  et  mecurn  ipse  do  immoitalitate 
unimorum  coepi  cogitare,  assenlio  omnis  ilia  elabitur.  Tusc. 
Quest.  Lib.  i. 

t  John  vii.  16.;  viii   26.  \  Matth.  xvi.   16,  17". 

§  That  babes  should  be  admitted  to  this  knowledge,  and  ex- 
press a  certainty,  where  the  wise  are  all  perplexity  aiKl  dark- 
ness, is  extremely  mortifying  to  hun>an  pride.  But  are  not  these 
the  woi'ds  of  Christ  ?  How  arrogant,  how  dangerous  mtist  it  be. 
to  be  displeased  with  that  dispensation  at-  which  he  rejoiced  \ 


^  A  Revieio  of  Ecclesiastical  Histort/.         Book  I. 

"  hast  hid  these  things  from  the  wise  and  prudent,  and 
*'  revealed  them  unto  babes." 

ii.  It  is  a  revelation,  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ. 
As  a  revelation,  it  stands  distinguished  from  all  false 
reli<zions;  and  as  revealed  in  the  person  of  Jesus,  it  is 
distinguished  from  all  former  dispensations  of  the  true 
God,  who,  in  time  past,  had  spoken  by  the  prophets, 
but  was  pleased,  in  those  last  days,  to  speak  unto  us  by 
his  Son.  The  law  was  given  by  Moses,  both  to  enforce 
the  necessity  of  a  universal  sinless  obedience,  and  to 
point  out  the  efficacy  of  a  better  mediator ;  but  grace 
and  truth,  grace  answerable  to  the  sinners  guilt  and 
misery,  and  the  truth  and  full  accomplishment  of  all 
its  typical  services,  came  by  Jesus  Christ.  All  the 
grand  peculiarities  of  the  Gospel  centre  in  this  point, 
the  constitution  of  the  person  of  Christ*.  In  the 
knowledfie  of  him  standeth  our  eternal  life.  And 
though  our  Lord,  on  some  occasions,  refused  to  answer 
the  captious  questions  of  his  enemies,  and  expressed 
himself  so  as  to  leave  his  hearers  in  suspense ;  yet,  at 
other  times,  he  clearly  asserted  his  own  just  rights  and 
honours,  and  proposed  himself  as  the  supreme  object 
of  love,  trust,  and  worship,  the  fountain  of  a;race  and 
power,  the  resurrection,  life,  and  happiness  of  all  be- 
lievers. 

That  he  vindicated  to  himself  those  characters  and 
prerogatives  which  incommunicably  belong  to  God,  is 
(Evident  from  the  texts  referred  to.  He  was  a  judge  of 
the  thoughts  and  intents  ot  the  heartf.  He  lorgave 
sins.     He  adopted  the  style  of  supreme  majesty;]:.    His 

^  Col.  ii.  3.  9. ;  John  xvii.  3.  f  Matth.  ix.  2,  3. 

\  John  viii.  38. ;  John  xiv.  9,       «  He  that  hath  seen  me  hatU 
'<«  seen  my  Father."  Which  of  all  the  creatures  of  Gocl  dare  use 


Chap.  2.        A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  21 

wonderful  works  were  proof  of  an  almighty  power. 
He  restored  sight,  health,  and  life,  with  a  word*.  He 
controlled  the  elements  f,  and  showed  himself  J  Lord  of 
quick  and  dead,  angels,  and  devils ;  and  both  his  ene- 
mies and  his  friends  understood  his  claim.  The  Jews 
attempted  to  stone  him  §  for  making  himself  equal  to 
God,  and  he  received  from  Thomas  the  most  express 
and  solemn  ascription  of  Deity  that  can  be  offered  from 
a  creature  to  his  Creator  ||. 

Yet  all  this  glory  was  veiled.  The  word  was  made 
flesh ;  he  assumed  the  human  nature,  and  shared  in  all 
its  infirmities,  sin  excepted.  He  was  born  of  a  woman, 
he  passed  through  the  states  of  infancy,  childhood,  and 
youth,  and  gradually  increased  in  wisdom  and  stature**. 
He  was  often,  yea,  always  afflicted.  He  endured ')  j  hun- 
ger, thirst,  and  weariness.  He;|;;|:  sighed,  he  wept,  he 
groaned,  he  bled,  he  died ;  but  amidst  all,  he  w  as  spotless 
and  undefiled.  He  §§  repelled  the  temptations  of  Sa- 
tan, he  appealed  to  his  most  watchful  enemies  for  his  in- 
tegrity, he  rendered  universal  unceasing  obedience  to 
the  will  of  God,  and  completely  fulfilled  the  whole  law. 

these  words  !  God,  in  the  stnct  sense,  is  invisible  and  inaccessi- 
ble ;  but  he  communicates  with  his  creatures  through  Christ 
his  Son,  without  whom  he  cannot  be  seen  or  known  at  all.  We 
cannot  enjoy  any  spiritual,  clear,  and  comfortable  views  of  God., 
(uiless  our  thoughts  fix  upon  the  ma.n  Christ  Jesus;  he  is  the 
''oor  and  the  veil  to  the  holy  of  holies,  and  there  is  no  comiag 
to  the  Father  by  any  other  way. 

*   Matt.  viii.  3.  ix.  30.;  John  iv.  53. 

t  Matt.  xiv.  25.;  Mark  iv.  39. 

\  John  xi.  25.  44.;  Luke  iv.  34.;  Matt.  iv.  1  1.;  Luke  x.  17. 

§  John  V.  18.;  x.  Z'3,.         \\  John  :-;x.  28.         **  Luke  ii.  5?. 

ft   Mark  xi.  12.;  John  iv.  6.  7. 

\\  Mark  vii.  34.;  John  xi.  35.  38.;  Luke  xxii.  44. 

%%  Matt.  iv.  I.  10.;  Johj>  viii.  46.;  xiv.  oO.;  xvii.4\ 


'22  A  Beviciv  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  I. 

In  him  the  perfection  of  wisdom  and  goodness  shined 
forth.  He  burned  with  love  to  God,  with  compassion 
to  men;  a  compassion  which  he  freely  extended  to  the 
most  necessitous  and  the  most  un\vorthy.  He  returned 
good  for  evil,  wept*  for  his  enemies,  prayed  for  his  mur- 
derers. Such  was  his  character,  a  divine  person"  in  the 
human  nature,  f  God  manifest  in  the  flesh.  And  from 
this  union,  all  he  did,  and  all  he  said,  derived  a  dig- 
nity, authority,  and  efficacy  which  rendered  him  every 
way  worthy  to  be  the  Teacher,  Exemplar,  Lord,  and 
Saviour  of  mankind. 

3.  In  the  person  and  sufferings  of  Christ  thete  is  at 
once  a  discovery  of  the  misery  of  fallen  man,  and  the 
means  of  his  complete  recovery.  It  has  already  been 
observed,  that  the  full  explication  of  these  truths  was 
deferred  till  after  his  resurrection  ;  and  the  subsequent 
writings  of  his  apostles  arc  useful,  to  give  us  a  com- 
plete view  of  the  cause,  design,  and  benefits  of  his  pas- 
sion. At  present  we  confine  ourselves  to  his  own 
words.  He  frequently!'  taught  the  necessity  and  cer- 
tainty of  his  sufferings  ;  he  spoke  of  them  as  the  great 
design  of  his  incarnation,  that  it  was  by  this  means  he 
should  draw  5^  all  unto  himself,  that  he  was  on  this  ac- 
count, especially,  the  object  of  his  Father's  compla- 
cency, because  he  voluntarily  substituted  himself  to  die 
for  his  people.  He  enforced  the  necessity  1|  of  believ- 
ing on  liini  in  this  view  ;  and  applied  to  himself  the 
prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament**,  which  speak  to  the 
same  purpose.  Isaiah  had  foretold,  that  the  Lord  would 
lay  upon  him  the  iniquities  of  us  all ;  that  he  was  to  be 

*  Luke  xix.  41.;  xxiii.  34.         t    '  Tim.  iii.  16. 

\    Matt.  xvi.  21.;  xx.  28.  §  John  sii.  32.;  x.  17. 

I!  John  iii.  14 — 18.  **  Luke  xxiv.  25-— 27.;  Isa.  liii. 


Chap.  2.         A  Review,  of  Ecclesiastical  Ilisiort/.  23 

wounded  for  our  transgressions,  and  by  his  stripes  we 
should  be  healed.  Here  then  we  see  the  maiiitold  wis- 
dom of  God.  His  inexpressible  love  to  us  com- 
mended ;  his  mercy  exalted  in  the  salvation  of  sinners; 
his  truth  and  justice  vindicated,  in  the  full  satistaciiou 
for  sin  exacted  from  the  surety  ;  his  glorious  holiness 
and  opposition  to  all  evil,  and  his  invariable  faithtul- 
ness  to  his  threatenings  and  his  promises.  Considered 
in  this  light,  our  Saviour's  passion,  is  the  most  mo- 
mentous, instructive,  and  comfortable  theme  that  can 
affect  the  heart  of  man ;  but,  if  his  substitution  and 
proper  atonement  are  denied,  the  whole  is  unintelligi- 
ble. We  can  assign  no  sufficient  reason  why  a  person 
of  his  excellence  was  abandoned  to  such  miseries  and 
indignities  ;  nor  can  we  account  for  that  agony  and  dis- 
tress which  seized  him  at  the  prospect  of  what  was 
coming  upon  him.  It  would  be  highly  injurious  to  his 
character,  to  suppose  he  was  thus  terrified  by  the  ap- 
prehension of  death  or  bodily  pain,  when  so  many  frail 
and  sinful  men  have  encountered  death,  armed  with  the 
severest  tortures,  with  far  less  emotion. 

Here,  as  in  a  glass,  we  see  the  evil  of  sin,  and  the 
misery  of  man.  The  greatness  of  the  disorder  may  be 
rationally  inferred  from  the  greatness  of  the  means  ne- 
cessary to  remove  it.  Would  welearn  the  depth  of  the 
fall  of  man,  let  us  consider  the  depth  of  the  humiliation 
of  Jesus  to  restore  him.  Behold  the  Beloved  of  God, 
perfectly  spotless  and  holy,  yet  made  an  example  of  the 
severest  vengeance ;  prostrate  and  agonizing  in  the  gar- 
den; enduring  the  vilest  insults  from  wicked  men;  torn 
with  whips,  and  nails,  and  thorns ;  suspended,  naked, 
wounded,  and  bleeding  upon  the  cross,  and  there  hea- 
vily complaining,  that  God  had  for  a  season  forsaken 
him.     Sin  was  the  cause  of  all  his  anguish.    He  stood 


^  A  Mevieio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  I. 

in  the  place  of  sinners,  and  therefore  was  not  spared- 
Not  any,  or  all,  the  evils  which  the  world  has  known,- 
atford  such  proof  of  the  dreadful  effects  and  detestable 
nature  of  sin,  as  the  knowledge  of  Christ  crucified.  Sin 
had  rendered  the  case  of  mankind  so  utterly  desperate, 
that  nothing  less  than  the  blood  and  death  of  Jesus 
could  retrieve  it.  If  any  other  expedient  could  have 
sufficed,  his  prayer,  that  the  bitter  cup  might  pass  from 
him,  would  have  been  answered.  But  what  his  ene- 
mies intended  as  the  keenest  reproach,  his  redeemed 
people  will  for  ever  repeat  as  the  expression  of  his 
highest  praise,  *  "  He  saved  others,  himself  he  cannot 
"  save."  Justice  would  admit  no  inferior  atonement,lov6 
would  not  give  up  the  cause  of  fallen,  ruined  man. 
Being  therefore  determined  to  save  others,  he  could  not, 
consistently  with  this  gracious  design  and  undertaking, 
deliver  himself. 

Again,  the  means  and  certainty  of  a  salvation  pro- 
portioned to  the  guilt  and  misery  of  sinners,  and  a  hap- 
j)iness  answerable  to  the  utmost  capacity  of  the  soul  of 
man,  are  revealed  in  the  same  astonishing  dispensation 
of  divine  love.  When  Jesus  was  baptized  he  was 
pointed  out  by  a  voice  from  heaven ;  f  "  This  is  niy  be- 
''  loved  Son,  in  whom,  (or  for  whose  sake,)  I  am  well 
**  pleased."  He  afterwards  proclaimed  his  J  own  autho- 
rity and  sufficiency,  that  all  things  were  delivered  into 
his  hands,  and  invited  every  weary,  heavy  laden  sou! 
to  seek  to  him  for  refreshment  and  peace.  He  gave  the 
most  express  assurances  §,  that  whoever  applied  to  him 
should  in  no  case  be  rejected.   He  |1  mentioned  his  deatl^ 

*  Luke  xxiii-.  35.  t  Matth.  iii.  17. 

%  Matth.  xi.  27,  2S.  %  John  vi.  37. 

f{  Jehu  xii.  32,  S3. 


6-Iiap.  2.  -A  Jiemeiv  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  2o 

and  sufferings  as  the  principal  circumstance  that  should 
eno-age  the  hearts  and  confirm  the  hopes  of  sinners.  He 
gave  repeated  promises  that  those  who  believe  in  him 
shall  never*  perish,  that  neither  force  nor  fraud  should 
frustrate  his  intentions  in  their  favour ;  that  after  his 
ascension  he  would  send  the  Holy  Spiritf  to  supply  his 
bodily  presence  ;  that  his  power,  grace,  and  providence 
should  be  with  his  people  to  the  end  of  the  world ;  and, 
finally,  that  he  would  manage  theirj  concerns  in  hea- 
ven, and  at  length  return  to  take  them  to  himself,  that 
they  might  be  with  him  for  ever,  to  behold  and  to  share 
his  glory. 

4.  In  this  revelation  God  has  illustriously  dis- 
played the  glory  of  his  free  grace.  The  miserable 
and  guilty,  who  find  themselves  without  either  plea  or 
hope,  but  what  the  Gospel  proclaims  by  Christ,  are  in- 
vited without  exception,  and  received  without  condi- 
tion. Though  they  have  been  the  vilest  offenders,  they 
are  freely  accepted  in  the  beloved,  and  none  of  their 
iniquities  shall  be  remembered  any  more.  On  the  con- 
trary, the  most  respectable  characters  amongst  men, 
are  declared  to  be  of  no  avail  in  point  of  acceptance 
with  God;  but  in  this  respect  all  the  race  of  Adam  are 
upon  equal  terms,  and  must  be  involved  in  the  same 
ruin,  without  an  absolute  dependence  on  the  great  Me- 
diator. This  is  an  illustrious  peculiarity  of  the  Gospel, 
which  the  proud,  fallen  nature  of  man,  cannot  but  resist 
and  find  fault  with,  till  the  conscience  is  truly  affected 
with  the  guilt  and  demerit  of  sin.  The  whole  tenour  of 
our  Saviour's  ministry  was  suited  to  depreciate  the  most 
-specious  attainments  of  those  who  trusted  in  themselves 

*  John  X.  28.  t  John  xvi.  f.  13,  U. ;  Mattel,  xxviii.  20. 

I  John  xiv.  3.  15,  14. 


^G  A  Meview  of  Eccle'siastieal  Histonj.        Boak  !♦ 

that  they  were  righteous,  and  to  encourage  all  who  felt 
and  confessed  themselves  to  be  miserable  sinners. 

Parcere  subjectis,  et  debellare  superbos. 

This  was  a  chief  cause  of  the  opposition  he  met  with  in 
his  own  person,  and  has  awakened  the  hatred  and  dislike 
of  the  bulk  of  mankind  against  his  doctrine  ever  since. 
It  is  necessary,  therefore,  to  confirm  it  by  proofs  which 
cannot  be  evaded  by  any  who  profess  to  acknowledge- 
him  to  be  a  teacher  sent  from  God. 

He  was  daily  conversant  with  many  who  were  wise 
and  righteous  in  their  own  eyes,  and  we  find  he  omits 
no  opportunity  to  expose  and  condemn  their  preten- 
sions. He  spake  one  parable  purposely  to  persons  of 
this  stamp*,  and  describes  a  Pharisee  boasting  of  his 
observance  of  the  law.  He  paid  tythes,  he  fasted,  he 
prayed,  he  was  not  chargeable  with  adultery  or  extor- 
tion. He  could  say  more  for  himself  than  many  can 
who  affect  to  be  thought  religious.  But  the  poor  publi- 
can, (though  despicable  in  his  sight,)  who,  conscious  of 
his  unworthiness,  durst  not  lift  up  his  eyes  to  heaven, 
but  smote  upon  his  breast,  and  cried  for  mercy,  was 
in  a  happier  and  safer  condition  than  the  other  with  all 
his  boasted  obedience. 

Another  remarkable  instance  is  that  of  the  rulerf, 
who  accosted  our  Lord  in  a  respectful  manner,  askings 
him  what  he  should  do  to  inherit  eternal  life.  His 
address  was  becoming,  his  inquiry  seemed  sincere; 
and  the  character  he  gave  of  himself  was  such,  as  men, 
who  see  not  the  heart,  might  have  judged  exemplary 
and  praise-worthy.  When  our  Lord  referred  him  to 
tjbe  precepts  of  the  law,  he  answered  that  he  had  kept 

*  Itiiike  xviii.  9 — 14.'«      t  Matth,  xix.  16. ;  Luke  xviii.  18. 


Chap.  2.        A  "Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Histor§.  27 

them  all  from  his  youth.  Yet  one  thing,  we  read,  was 
wanting.  What  could  this  one  thing  be,  which  render- 
ed so  fair  a  character  of  no  value  ?  We  may  collect  it 
from  the  event.  He  wanted  a  deep  sense  of  his  need  of 
a  Saviour.  If  he  had  been  possessed  of  this  one  thing, 
he  would  willingly  have  relinquished  all  to  follow  Jesus. 
But  ignorant  of  the  spirituality  of  the  law,  he  trusted  to 
a  defective  obedience ;  and  the  love  of  the  world  pre- 
vailing in  his  heart,  he  chose  rather  to  part  with  Christ 
than  with  his  possessions. 

On  the  other  hand,  how  readily  our  Lord  received 
sinners,  notorious  sinners,  who  were  vile  to  a  proverb, 
appears  from  the  remarkable  account  given  by  St.Luke* 
of  a  woman  whose  character  had  been  so  infamous,  that 
the  Pharisee  wondered  that  Jesus  could  permit  her  to 
touch  him.  But,  though  a  great  sinner,  she  found 
great  forgiveness  ;  therefore  she  loved  much  and  weptf 
much.  She  had  nothing  to  say  for  herself;  but  Jesus 
espoused  her  cause,  and  pronounced  her  pardon.  He 
likewise  silenced  the  proud  caviller  by  a  parable,  that 
sweetly  illustrates  the  freeness  and  genuine  effect  of  the 
grace  of  God,  which  can  only  be  possessed  or  prized 
by  those  who  see  they  must  perish  without  it. 

And  this  was  the  general  effect  of  his  preacking. 
Publicans  and  sinners  thronged  to  hear  him,  received 
his  doctrine,  and  found  rest  for  their  souls.  As  this 
discrimination  gave  a  general  offence,  he  took  occasion 
to  deliver  the  parable  of  the  prodigal:]: ;  in  the  former 

*  Luke  vii.  37. 

t  She  washed  his  feet  with  tears.  Hf|alo  Bg£;;^Etv,  She  began  to 
mn  tears  upon  his  feet.  Her  head  was  waters,  and  her  eyes  foun- 
tains. To  receive  a  free  pai'don  of  many  sins,  a  pardon  bought  with 
blood — 'tis  this  causes  the  heart  to  melt,  and  the  eyes  to  flow. 

t  Luke  XV.  11. 


2iB  A  Bevicio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  I. 

part  of  which  he  gives  a  most  endearing  view  of  the 
grace  of  God,  in  pardoning  and  accepting  the  most  un- 
deserving. He  afterwards,  in  the  close,  shows  the  pride, 
stubbornness,and  enmity  of  tlie  self-righteous  Pharisees, 
under  the  character  ot  the  elder  *  brother.  While  his 
language  and  deportment,  discovered  the  disobedience 
and  malice  ot  his  heart,  he  pretended  that  he  had  never 
broke  his  father's  commands.  The  self-condemned  sin- 
ner, when  he  first  receives  hope  of  pardon,  experiences 
a  joy  and  peace  in  believing :  this  is  represented  by  the 
feast  and  fatted  calf  But  the  religious,  orderly  brother, 
had  never  received  so  much  as  a  kid.  He  had  found 
no  true  comfort  in  all  his  formal  round  of  duties  ;  and 
therefore  was  exceedingly  angry  that  the  prodigal  should 
at  once  obtain  those  marks  of  favour,  which  he,  who 
had  remained  with  his  father,  had  been  always  a  stran- 
ger to. 

But  the  capital  exemplification  of  this,  and  indeed 
of  every  doctrine  of  the  Gospel,  is  contained  in  the  ac- 
count given  of  the  thief  f  upon  the  cross  ;  a  passage 
which  has,  perhaps,  been  more  mistaken  and  misrepre- 
sented by  commentators,  than  any  other  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament. The  grace  of  God  has  shone  so  bright  in  this 
instance,  that  it  has  dazzled  the  eyes  even  of  good  men. 
They  have  attempted  to  palliate  the  offender's  crime,  or 

*  It  may  be  objected  to  this  interpretation,  that  the  father 
speaks  to  the  elder  brother  in  terms  of  complacence.  "  Son,  thou 
"  art  ever  with  me,  and  all  that  I  have  is  thine."  But  this  is  not 
the  only  place  Avhere  our  Lord  addresses  the  Pharisees  in  their 
own  style,  according  to  the  opinion  they  conceived  of  themselves. 
Thus,  Matt.  viii.  12,  he  says,  "  The  children  of  the  kingdom 
"  shall  be  cast  out  into  outer  darkness" — he  does  not  mean  those 
who  were  truly  the  children  of  the  kingdom,  but  those  who  pre- 
tended to  be  so. 

t  Luke  xxiii.  39 — 43. 


Qliap.  2.        A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  2,9 

at  least  to  suppose  that  this  was  the  first  fault  of  the 
kind  he  had  committed  ;  that  perhaps  he  had  been  sur- 
prised into  it,  and  might  in  other  respects  have  been  of 
a  fairer  character.  They  conjecture  that  this  was  the 
first  time  he  had  heard  of  Jesus,  and  that  there  was  not 
only  some  sort  of  merit  in  his  foith  and  confession  under 
these  circumstances,  but  that  the  death  of  Jesus  happily 
coinciding  with  his  own,  afforded  him  an  advantage 
peculiar  to  himself;  and  that  therefore  this  was  an 
exempt  case,  and  not  to  be  drawn  into  a  precedent  to 
after-times. 

If  it  was  my  professed  design  to  comment  upon  this 
malefactor's  case,  I  should  consider  it  in  a  different 
light.  The  nature  of  his  punishment,  which  was  seldom 
inflicted  but  on  those  who  were  judged  the  most  atro- 
cious criminals,  makes  it  more  than  probable  that  he  did 
not  suffer  for  a  first  offence.  Nor  was  he  simply  a 
thief'.  The  history  of  those  times  abounds  with  the 
mischiefs  committed  by  public  robbers,  who  used  to 
join  in  considerable  bands  for  rapine  and  murder,  and 
commit  the  greatest  excesses.  In  all  likelihood,  the 
malefactors  crucified  with  Jesus  were  of  this  sort,  ac- 
complices and  equals  in  guilt,  and  therefore  judged  to 
die  together,receiviog,  (as  appears  by  the  criminal's  own 
confession  on  the  cross,)  the  just  reward  of  their  deeds*. 
Here  was  indeed  a  fair  occasion  to  show  the  sovereignty 
and  triumph  of  grace,  contrasted  with  the  most  despe- 
rate pitch  of  obdurate  wickedness ;  to  show,  on  the 
one  hand,  that  the  compassion  and  the  power  of  Christ 

*  It  seems  probable  from  the  history  that  these  were  of  Ba- 
rabbas's  gang.  They  had  made  an  insurrection,  committed 
murder,  and  were,  with  their  ringleader,  convicted  and  condemn- 
ed. He,  in  dishonour  to  Jesxis,  was  spared,  whilst  these  his  ac,- 
complices  were  executed  with  him. 


30  A  Review  of  Ecclesia^iical  History,  Book  I. 

were  not  diminished,  when  his  sufferings  were  at  the 
height,  and  he  seemed  abandoned  to  his  enemies  ;  and, 
on  the  other,  the  insufficiency  of  any  means  to  change 
a  sinner's  heart  without  the  powerful  efficacy  of  divine 
grace.  The  one  malefactor,  brought  at  length  to  de- 
served punishment,  far  from  repenting  of  his  crimes, 
regardless  of  his  immediate  appearance  before  God, 
thought  it  some  relaxation  of  his  torments,  to  join  with 
the  barbarous  multitude  in  reviling  Jesus,  who  hung 
upon  a  cross  by  his  side.  He  was  not  ignorant  that 
Jesus  was  put  to  death,  for  professing  himself  the  Mes- 
siah ;  but  he  upbraided  him  with  his  character,  and 
treated  him  as  an  impostor.  In  this  man  we  see  the 
progress,  wages,  and  effects  of  sin.  His  wickedness 
brought  him  to  a  terrible  end,  and  sealed  him  up  under 
a  fatal  hardness  of  heart,  so  that  he  died  desperate, 
though  Jesus  Christ  was*  crucified  before  his  eyes.  But 
his  companion  was  impressed  by  what  he  saw ;  hi«  heart- 
relented.  He  observed  the  patience  of  the  divine  Suf- 
ferer; he  heard  him  pray  for  his  murderers;  he  felt  him- 
self miserable,  and  feared  the  God  with  whom  he  had 
to  do.  In  this  distress  he  received  faith  to  apply  to  Je- 
sus, and  his  prayer  was  granted  and  exceeded.  He 
who  sent  th6  fair-spoken  ruler  away  sorrowful,  answer- 
ed the  first  desire  of  a  malefactor  at  the  point  of  death; 
"  This  day  thou  shalt  be  with  me  in  Paradise."  This 
certainly  was  an  instance  of  free  distinguishing  grace, 

*  Comp.  Matth.  xxvii.  39.  How  can  it  be  expected  that  no 
more  than  a  constant  repetition  of  Christ's  death,  siiould  be  an 
invincible  means  of  changing  the  heart,  when  the  actual  sight  of 
his  sufferings  was  attended  with  so  little  effect  ?  Sin  must  be  felt 
as  the  disease  and  ruin  of  the  soul,  and  the  sufferings  of  Jesus 
acknowledged  as  the  only  possible  remedy,  before  we  can  truly 
sympathize  with  him,  and  say,  I  am  crucified  with  Ciji'iSit. 


i 


simp.  2^        A  Rcvieiv  of  Ecclesiastical  Historj}.  31 

Here  was  salvation  bestowed  upon  one  of  the  vilest 
sinners,  through  faith  in  Jesus,  without  previous  works, 
or  a  possibility  of  performing  any.  And  as  such,  it  is 
recorded  for  the  encouragement  of  all  who  see  them- 
selves '  destitute  of  righteousness  and  strength,  and  that 
like  the  thief  on  the  cross,  they  have  no  refuge  or  hope, 
but  in  the  free  mercy  of  God  through  Christ. 

6.  The  medium,  by  which  the  Gospel  becomes  the 
power  of  God  unto  Salvation,  is  Faith.  By  faith  we  do 
not  mean  a  hare  assent,  founded  upon  testimony  and 
'rational  evidence,  that  the  facts  recorded  in  the  New 
Testament  are  true.  A  faith  of  this  sort  experience 
proves  to  be  consistent  with  a  wicked  life  ;  whereas  the 
Gospel-faith  purifies  the  heart,  and  overcomes  the 
world.  Neither  do  we  mean,  a  confidence  of  the  for- 
giveness of  sin  impressed  upon  the  mind  in  a  sudden 
and  instantaneous  manner.  Faith  is  indeed,  founded 
upon  the  strongest  evidence,  and  may  often  be  confirm- 
ed by  ineffable  manifestations  from  the  Fountain  of  light 
and  comfort ;  but  the  discriminating  property  of  true 
faith,  is  a  reliance  upon  Jesus  Christ,  for  all  the  ends  and 
purposes  for  which  the  Gospel  rex'cals  him;  such  as  the 
pardon,  of  sin,  peace  of  conscience,  strength  for  obedi- 
ence, and  eternal  life.  It  is  wrought  by  the  operation 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  presupposes  a  knowledge  of  him 
and  of  ourselves  ;  of  our  indigence,  and  his  fulness  ; 
our  unworthiness,  and  his  merits ;  our  weakness,  and  his 
power.  The  true  believer  builds  upon  the*  person  and 
word  of  Christ  as  the  foundation  of  his  hope;  he  enters 
by  him  as  the  only|  door  to  the  knowledge,  communion, 
and  love  of  God ;  he  feeds  upon  him  by  faith  in  his 
heart,  with  thanksgiving,  asj  the  bread  of  life ;  he  em- 

*  ]V^tth.  vii.  24. ;  xvi.  18.       f  J^ha  x,  9.       \  John  vi.  54— 'Ifr. 


S2  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  I. 

braces  his  righteousness  as  the  wedding*  garment, 
whereby  alone  he  expects  admission  to  the  marriage- 
feast  of  heaven.  He  derives  all  his  strength  and  com- 
fort from  his  influence,  as  the  branchf  from  the  root. 
He  intrusts  himself  to  his  care,  as  the  wise  and  good 
shepherdj  of  his  soul.  Sensible  of  his  own  ignorance, 
defects,  and  his  many  enemies,  he  receives  Christ§  as 
his  teacher,  priest,  and  king,  obeys  his  preceptor,  con- 
fides on  his  mediation,  expects  and  enjoys  his  powerful 
protection.  In  a  word,  he  renounces  all  confidence!!  in 
the  flesh,  and  rejoices  in  Christ  Jesus  as  his  Saviour  ; 
and  thus  he  attains  to  worship  God  in  spirit  and  in 
truth,  is  supported  through  all  the  conflicts  and  trials 
of  life,  possesses  a  stable  peace  in  the  midst  of  a  chang- 
ing world,  goes  on  from  strength  to  strength,  and  is,  at 
length,  made  more  than  conqueror,  through  him  that  has 
loved  him.  This  is  the  life  of  faith.  The  degree  and 
exercise  of  it  is  various  in  different  persons,  and  in  the 
same  person  at  different  times,  (as  has  been  already  hint- 
ed,;) but  the  principle  itself  is  universal,  permanent,  and 
efiicacious  in  all  that  truly  believe.  And  nothing  less 
than  this  faith  is  sufficient  to  give  any  man  a  right  to 
the  name  of  a  Christian. 

6.  The  final  cause,  or  great  ends  of  the  Gospel  re- 
specting man,  are**  holiness  and  happiness ;  the  com- 
plete restoration  of  the  soul  to  the  favour  and  image 
of  God,  or  eternal  life  begun  here,  to  be  consummated 
i  in  glory.  What  has  been  already  said,  renders  it  need- 
less to  enlarge  upon  this  head.  Nor  shall  we  concern 
ourselves  here  to  vindicate  this  doctrine  we  have  laid 


*  Matth.  xxli.  11.;  Rom.  xiii.  14.         f  John  xv.  4,  5. 
I  John  X.  14.  §  John  vi.  68.  ||  Phil.  iu.  3.. 

**  Mktfh.  i.  ::i.;  XXV.  24. ;  John  xvii.  24. 


Gliap.  2,         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Histori/,  2S 

down  from  the  charge  of  licentiousness ;  because  it  is 
our  professed  desi^^n  in  the  progress  of  this  work  toi 
prove,  from  the  history  of  the  church,  not  only  that  these 
principles,  when  rightly  understood,  will  infallibly  pro- 
duce obedience  and  submission  to  the  whole  will  of 
God,  but  that  these  only  can  do  it.  Wherever  and 
whenever  the  doctrines  of  tree  grace  and  justification 
by  faith  have  prevailed  in  the  Christian  Church,  and  ac- 
cording to  the  degree  of  clearness  with  which  they  have 
been  enforced,  the  practical  duties  of  Christianity  have 
flourished  in  the  same  proportion.  Wherever  they  have 
declined,  or  been  tempered  with  the  reasonings  and  ex- 
pedients of  men,  either  from  a  well  meant,  though  mis- 
taken fear,  lest  they  should  be  abused,  or.  from  a  desire 
to  accommodate  the  Gospel,  and  render  it^  more  palat- 
able to  the  depraved  taste  of  the  world,  the  consequence 
has  always  been  an  equal  declension  in  practice.  So 
^long  as  the  Gospel  of  Christ  is  maintained  without  adul- 
i  teration,  it  is  found  sufficient  for  every  valuable  pur- 
pose ;  but  when  the  wisdom  of  man  is^^rmitted  to  add 
to  the  perfect  w  ork  of  God,  a  wide  db'oY  is  opened  for 
•innumerable  mischiefs — the  divine  commands  are  made 
J  void,  new  inventions  are  continually  taking  place,  zeai 
I  is  diverted  into  a  wrong  channel,  and  the  greatest  stress 
laid  upon  things,  either  unnecessary  or  unwarrantable. 
Hence,  perpetual  occasion  is  given  for  strife,  debates, 
and  divisions,  till  at  length  the  spirit  of  Christianity  is 
forgot,  and  the  power  of  godliness  lost,  amidst  fierce 
contentions  for  the  form. 

To  sum  up  this  inquiry  in  few  words.     The  Gospel 

,is  a  wise  and  gracious  dispensation,  equally  suited  to  the 

jnecessities  of  man,  and  to  the  pertections  of  God.     It 

proclaims  relief  to  the  miserable,  and  excludes  none  but 

those  who  exclude,  themselves.     It  convinces  a  sinnev 

Vol.  III.  F 


34  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  I. 

that  he  is  unworthy  of  the  smallest  mercy,  at  the  same 
tinie  that  it  gives  him  a  confidence  to  expect  the  great- 
est. It  cuts  off  all  pretence  of  glorying  in  the  flesh, 
but  it  enables  a  guilty  sinner  to  glory  in  God.  To 
them  that  have  oo  might  it  increases  strength ;  it  gives 
eyes  to  the  blind,  and  feet  to  the  lame  ;  subdues  the  en- 
mity of  the  heart,  shows  the  nature  of  sin,  the  spiritual- 
ity and  sanction  of  the  law  with  the  fullest  evidence, 
and,  by  exhibiting  Jesus  as  made  of  God,  wisdom, 
righteousness,  sanctification,  and  redemption  to  all  who 
believe,  it  makes  obedience  practicable,  easy,  and  de- 
lightful. The  constraining  love  of  Christ,  engages  the 
heart  and  every  faculty  in  his  service.  His  example 
illustrates  and  recommends  his  precepts,  his  presence 
inspires  courage  and  activity  under  every  pressure,  and 
the  prospect  of  the  glory  to  be  revealed,  is  a  continual 
source  of  joy  and  peace,  which  passeth  the  understand- 
ing of  the  natural  man.  Thus  the  Gospel  fiUeth  the 
hungry  with  good  things,  but  it  sendeth  the  rich  and 
self-sufficient  empty  away,  and  leaves  the  impenitent 
and  unbelieving  in  a  state  of  aggravated  guilt  and  con- 
deranation» 


CHAPTER  in. 

Concerning  Iht  true  groniul  of  the  opposition  our  Lord  met 
rdth  in  the  course  of  his  ministry  ;  and  the  objections  aiul  ar- 
tificcs  his  enemies  emploi/ed  to  prejudice  the  people  against 
hhuy  and  prevent  the  reception  of  his  doctrin  e. 


I 


F  our  knowledge  of  the  history  of  Jesus  was  confined 
to  the  excellence  of  his  character,  and  the  diffusive  good- 
ness that  shone  forth  in    all    his  actions ;  we  should 


Chap.  3.         A  Revicio  of  Ecclesiastical  Historij.  S5 

hardly  conceive  it  possible  that  any  people  could  be  so 
lost  to  gratitude  and  humanity,  as  to  oppose  him.  He 
went  about  doing  good :  he  raised  the  dead,  healed 
every  disease,  and  relieved  the  distresses  of  all  who  ap- 
plied to  him,  without  any  difference  of  cases,  charac- 
ters, or  parties ;  as  the  sun,  with  a  rich  and  unwearied 
profusion,  fills  every  eye  with  his  light.  Wisdom  flowed 
from  his  lips,  and  his  whole  conduct  was  perfect  and 
inculpable.  How  natural  is  it  to  expect  that  a  person 
so  amiable  and  benevolent,  so  blameless  and  exem- 
plary, should  have  been  universally  revered  * ! 

But  we  find,  in  fact,  it  was  far  otherwise.  Instead 
of  the  honours  he  justly  deserved,  the  returns  he  met 
with  were  reproach,  persecution,  and  death.  The 
wonders  of  his  power  and  goodness  were  maliciously 
asribed  to  Satan ;  he  was  branded  as  an  impostor, 
madman,  and  demoniac ;  he  was  made  the  sport  of 
servants  and  soldiers,  and  at  length  publicly  executed, 
with  every  possible  circumstance  of  ignominy  and  tor- 
ture, as  a  malefactor  of  the  worst  sort. 

What  could  be  the  cause  and  motives  of  such  inju- 

*  The  heathen  moralists  have  supposed  that  there  is  some- 
thing so  amiable  in  virtue,  that,  could  it  be  visible,  it  would  ne- 
cessarily attract  the  love  and  admiration  of  all  beholders.  This 
sentiment  has  been  generally  admired  ;  and  we  need  not  won- 
der ;  since  it  flatters  the  pride  of  man  without  thwarting  his 
passions.  In  the  Lord  Jesus,  this  great  desideratum  was  vouch- 
safed ;  virtue  and  goodness  were  pleased  to  become  visible,  were 
manifest  in  the  flesh.  But  did  the  experiment  answer  to  the 
ideas  of  the  philosophers?  Alas!  to  the  reproach  of  mankind,  Jews 
and  Gentiles  conspired  to  treat  him  with  the  utmost  contempt. 
They  loved  darkness,  and  therefore  could  not  bear  the  light. 
They  had  more  compassion  and  affection  for  the  most  infamous 
malefactor  ;  therefore,  when  the  alternative  was  proposed  to 
them,  they  released  Barabbas,  a  robber  ^nd  a  murderer,  and 
nailetl  Jesus  and  virtue  to  the  cross. 


S6  A  Bevmv  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  I. 

rious  treatment?  This  is  the  subject  of  our  present  in- 
quiry.   It  might  indeed  be  answered  very  briefly,  (as  it 
has  been,)  by  ascribing  it  to  the  peculiar  wickedness  and 
perverseness  of  the  Jew  s.     There  is  not  a  fallacy  more 
frequent  or  pleasing  to  the  minds  of  men,  than,  while 
they  act  contrary  to  present  duty,  to  please  themselves 
■with  imagining,  how  well  they  would  have  behaved  in 
another  situation,  or  a  different  age.     They  think  it  a 
mark  of  virtue   to  condemn  the  wickedness  of  former 
times,  not  aware  that  they  themselves  are  governed  by 
the  same  spirit      Thus  these  very  Jews  spoke  highly  of 
the  persons  of  the  prophets,  while  they  rejected  their 
testimony;  and  blamed  their  forefathers  for  shedding  in- 
nocent blood,  at  the  time  they  were  thirsting  for  the 
blood  of  Jesus  *.     It  is  equally   easy,   at  present,   to 
condemn  the  treachery  of  Judas,  the  cowardice  of  Pi- 
late, the  blindness   of  the   people,   and   the   malice  of 
the   priests,  who  were  all    personally    concerned    in 
the    death   of   Christ.       It    is  easy  to  think,  that  if 
tve  had  seen  his    works    and    heard    his    words,  we 
would  not  have  joined  with   the   multitude  in  crying, 
Crucify  him  :  though,  it  is  to  be  feared,  many,  who  thus 
flatter  themselves,  have   little  less   enmity   against  his 
person  and  doctrine,    than  his  actual  murderers.     On 
this  account,  I  shall  give  a  detail  of  the  true  reasons 
why  Christ  was  opposed  in  the  flesh,  and  of  the  mea- 
sures employed  against  him,  in  order  to  show  that  the 
same  grounds  of  opposition  are  deeply  rooted  in  the 
fallen  human  nature ;  and  how  probable  it  is,  that  if  he 
was  to  appear  again  in  the  same   obscure   manner,  in 
any  country  now  called  by  his  name,   he  wouhi  uieet 
with  little  better  treatment,   unless  when  the  constitu- 

*  Matth.  xxiii.  29,  30. 


Chap.  3.        A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Hist  or  y.  37 

tion  and  laws  of  a  civil  government  might  interpose  to 
prevent  it. 

But  it  may  be  proper,  in  the  first  place,  briefly  to 
delineate  the  characters  of  the  sects  or  parties  mention- 
ed by  the  evangelists,  whose  leaders,  jointly  and  sepa- 
rately, both  from  common  and  distinct  motives,  opposed 
our  Saviour's  ministry,  and  cavilled  at  his  doctrine. 
These*  were  the  Pharisees,  Sadducees,  and  Herodians, 

The  Pharisees,  including  the  Scribes,  (who  were 
chiefly  of  this  sect,)  were  professedly  the  guardians  of 
the  law,  and  public  teachers  of  people.  They  were  held 
in  high  veneration,  by  the  common  people,  for  the 
austerity  of  their  deportment,  the  frequency  of  their 
devotions,  and  their  exactness  in  the  less  essential  parts 
of  the  law.  They  observed  the  traditions  of  the  elders 
were  still  adding  to  them;  and  the  consequence  was, 
(as  it  will  always  be  in  such  a  case,)  that  they  were  so 
pleased  with  their  own  inventions,  as  to  prefer  them  to 
the  positive  commands  of  God  ;  and  their  studious 
punctuality  in  trifles,  withdrew  their  regard  from  the 
most  important  duties.  Their  specious  show  of  piety 
was  a  fair  outside,  under  which  the  grossest  abomina- 
tions were  concealed  and  indulged.  They  were  full  of 
pride,  and  a  high  conceit  ot  their  own  goodness.  They 
fasted  and  prayed,  to  be  seen  and  esteemed  of  men. 
They  expected  reverence  and  homage  from  all,  and 
challenged  the  highest  titles  of  respect,  to  be  saluted  as 
doctors  and  masters,  and  to  be  honoured  with  the  prin- 
cipal seats  in  all  assemblies.  Many  of  them  made  their 
solemn  exterior  a  cloak  for  extortion  and  oppression  ; 
and  the  rest,  if  not  hypocrites  in  the  very  worst  sense, 
yet  deceived  both  themselves  and  others  by  a  form  of 

*  See  Matth.  xxiii. ;  Mark  vii.  13. ;  Luke  xviii.  9 — 14. 


S5  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  "Ristory.  Book  I. 

godliness,  when  they  were,  in  effect,  enslaved  by  their 
passions,  and  lived  according  to  the  corrupt  rule  ot  their 
Own  imaginations. 

The  Sadducees,  their  antagonists  and  rivals,  were 
equally,  though  differently,  remote  from  the  true  know- 
ledge and  worship  of  God.  They  not  only  rejected  the 
tradition  of  the  elders,  but  a  great  part  of  the  Scrip- 
tures likewise,  and  admitted  only  the  five  books  of 
Moses  as  of  divine  authority.  From  this  circumstance, 
together  with  the  difficulty*  they  proposed  to  our  Lord, 
and  the  answer  he  gave  them ;  it  appears  that  they 
were  persons,  who  professing,  in  general  terms,  to 
acknowledge  a  revelation  from  God,  yet  made  their 
own  prejudices  and  mistakes,  under  the  dignified  name 
of  reason,  the  standard  to  determine  what  books  should 
be  received  as  authentic,  and  in  what  sense  they  should 
be  understood.  The  doctrine  of  a  resurrection  did  not 
accord  with  their  notions  ;  therefore  they  rejected  it,  to- 
gether f  with  those  parts  of  Scripture  which  asserted  it 
most  expressly.  Their  question  concerning  the  seven 
brethren,  seems  to  have  been  a  trite  objection,  which  they 
had  often  made,  and  which  had  never  been  answered  to 
satisfaction,  till  our  Lord  resolved  it.  But  the  whole 
difficulty  was  founded  upon  false  principles,  and  when 
these  were   removed,  all  fell  to  the  ground  at  once. 

*  Matth.  xxii.  23. ;  Acts  xxiii.  8. 

t  That  the  Sadducees  received  only  the  law  of  Moses,  is  the 
general  opinion  ;  though  I  do  not  say,  tliat  it  has  been  either 
indubitably  proved,  or  universally  held.  That  they  put  their  own 
sense  upon  the  Scriptures,  (whether  in  whole  or  in  part,)  which 
they  did  profess  to  receive,  is  manifest,  from  their  asserting) 
that  there  is  no  resurrection,  neither  angel,  nor  spirit ;  a  tenet 
V,  hich  contradicts  not  one  or  a  few  texts,  but  the  whole  strain  and 
tcnour  both  of  tl^  law  and  the  prophets. 


Chap.  3.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Historii.  39 

From  this,  however,  we  may  learn  their  characteristic. 
They  were  the  cautious  reasoners  of  those  times,  who 
valued  themselves  on  examining  every  thing  closely,  re- 
fusing to  be  influenced  by  the  plausible  sounds  of  anti- 
quity and  authority. 

The  Herodians*  were  those  who  endeavoured  to  in- 
gratiate themselves  with  Herod.  It  is  most  probable 
that  they  received  their  name  and  distinction,  not  so 
much  from  any  peculiar  sentiments,  as  from  attempting 
to  accommodate  their  religion  to  the  circumstances  of 
the  times.  The  Pharisees,  boasting  of  their  privileges  as 
the  children  of  Abraham,  could  hardly  brook  a  foreign 
yoke ;  but  the  Herodians,  from  motives  of  interest,  were 
advocates  for  Herod  and  the  Roman  power.  Thus 
they  were  opposite  to  the  Pharisees  in  political  matters, 
as  the  Sadducees  were  in  points  of  doctrine.  And 
therefore  the  question  concerning  tribute,  was  proposed 
to  our  Lord  jointly  by  the  Pharisees  and  Herodians  :  the 
former  designing  to  render  him  obnoxious  to  the  people, 
if  he  allowed  of  tribute  ;  the  latter  to  accuse  him  to  the 
government,  if  he  refused  it. 

From  what  has  been  said,  it  is  evident  the  leading 
principles  of  these  sects  were  not  peculiar  to  them- 
selves. They  may  rather  be  considered  universally,  as 
specimens  of  the  different  appearances  a  religious  pro- 
fession assumes,  where  the  heart  is  not  divinely  en- 
lightened and  converted  to  the  love  of  the  truth.  In  all 
such  persons,  however  high  the  pretence  of  religion  may 
be  carried,  it  cannot  proceed  from  a  nobler  principle, 
or  aim  at  a  nobler  object  than  self.  These  dispositions 
have  appeared  in  every  age  and  form  of  the  Christian 
church,  and  are  alwa3's  active  to  oppose  the  self-denying 

*  Matth.  xxii.  16.:  Mark  ill.  6. 


lij  A  Beview  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  I.-^ 

doctrines  of  the  Gospel  upon  different  pretences.  The 
man  who,  fond  of  his  fancied  attainments  and  scrupu- 
lous exactness  in  externals,  despises  all  who  will  not 
conform  to  his  rules,  and  challenges  peculiar  respect  on 
account  of  his  superior  goodness,  is  a  proud  Pharisee^ 
His  zeal  is  dark,  envious,  and  bitter ;  his  obedience  par- 
tial and  self  willed ;  and,  while  he  boasts  of  the  knowledge 
of  God,  his  heart  rises  with  enmity  at  the  grace  of  the 
Gospel,  which  he  boldly  charges  with  opening  a  door 
to  licentiousness.  The  modern  Sadducee,  (like  those  of 
old,)  admits  of  a  revelation,  but  then,  full  of  his  own 
wisdom  and  importance,  he  arraigns  even  the  revela- 
tion he  seems  to  allow  at  the  bar  of  his  narrow  judg- 
ment ;  and  as  the  sublime  doctrines  of  truth  pass  under 
his  review,  he  affixes,  without  hesitation,  the  epithets  of  ab- 
surd, inconsistent,  and  blasphemous,  to  whatever  thwarts 
his  pride,  prejudice,  and  ignorance.  And  those  parts  of 
Scripture  which  cannot  be  warped  to  speak  his  sense, 
he  discards  from  his  canon  as  interpolated  and  supposi- 
titious. The  Herodian  is  the  man,  however  denominat- 
ed or  dignified,  who  is  governed  by  interest,  as  the 
others  by  pride,  and  vainly  endeavours  to  reconcile  the 
incompatible  services  of  God  and  the  world,  Ghrist  and 
Belial.  He  avoids  the  excesses  of  religious  parties, 
speaks  in  terms  ot  moderation,  and  is  not  unwilling  to  be 
accounted  the  patron  and  friend  of  sobriety  and  reli- 
gion. He  stands  fair  vvith  all  who  would  be  religious 
upon  cheap  terms,  and  fair  in  his  own  esteem,  having 
numbers  and  authority  on  his  side.  Thus  he  almost 
persuades  himself  he  has  carried  his  point,  and  that  it 
is  not  so  impossible  to  serve  two  masters,  as  our  Lord's 
words  seem  to  import.  But  the  preaching  of  the  pure 
Gospel,  which  enforces  the  one  thing  needful,  and  will 
admit  of  no  compliances  with   worldly  interests,  inter- 


I^hap.  S,         A  Reoieto  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  4^ 

feres  with  his  plans,  and  incurs  his  resentment  likewise; 
though,  perhaps,  he  will  show  his  displeasure,  by  more 
refined  and  specious  methods  than  the  clamorous  rage 
of  hot  bijTotry  has  patience  to  wait  for. 

We  now  proceed.  The  first  great  cause  why  Jesus 
was  rejected  by  those  to  whom  he  appealed,  may  be  de- 
duced from  the  tenour  of  his  doctrine,  a  summary  of 
which  has  been  given  in  the  former  chapter.  It  of- 
fended the  pride  of  the  Pharisees,  was  repugnant  to 
the  wise  infidelity  of  the  Sadducees,  and  condemned  the 
pliant  temper  of  the  Herodians.  The  doctrines  of  free 
grace,  faith,  and  spiritual  obedience,  were  diametri- 
cally opposite  to  their  inclinations.  They  must  have 
parted  with  all  they  admired  and  loved  if  they  had  com- 
plied with  him ;  but  this  is  a  sacrifice  too  great  for  any 
to  make  who  had  not  deeply  felt  and  known  their 
need  of  a  Saviour.  These,  on  the  contrary,  were  the 
whole  who  saw  no  want  of  a  physician,  and  there- 
fore treated  his  oflTers  with  contempt. 

Besides,  their  dislike  to  his  doctrine  was  increased 
by  his  manner  of  enforcing  it.  He  spoke  with  autho*. 
rity,  and  sharply  rebuked  the  hypocrisy,  ignorance,  am- 
bition, and  avarice  of  those  persons  who  were  ac- 
counted the  wise  and  the  good,  who  sat  in  Moses's 
chair,  and  had  hitherto  been  heard  and  obeyed  with 
reverence.  But  Jesus  exposed  their  true  characters  ; 
he  spoke  of  them  as  blind  guides  ;  he*  compared  them 

*  Matt,  xxiii.  27.  Nothing  is  more  loathsome  to  our  senses  than 
a  corpse  in  a  state  of  putrefaction,  or  a  more  striking  contrast  to 
the  outside  of  a  sumptuous  ornamented  monument.  Perhaps  the 
visible  creation  does  not  afford  any  other  image  that  would  so 
strongly  express  the  true  character  of  hypocrisy,  and  how  hateful 
it  appears  in  the  sight  of  God,  who  is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold 
iniquity,  and  before  whoia  all  things  are  naked  and  open. 

Vol.  III.  G 


42  A  Revieio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book.  I. 

to  "  painted  sepulchres,"  and  cautioned  the  people 
against  them  as  dangerous  deceivers.  It  is  no  wonder, 
therefore,  that  on  this  account  they  hated  him  with 
a  perfect  hatred. 

Again :  they  were  exceedingly  offended  with  the 
high  character  he  assumed  as  the  Son  of  God,  and  the 
Messiah.  On  this  account,  they  condemned  him  to  die 
for  blasphemy.  They  expected  a  Messiah  indeed,  who, 
they  professed,  was  spoken  of  in  the  Scripture ;  but 
they  understood  not  what  the  Scriptures  had  revealed, 
either  concerning  his  divine  nature,  or  his  voluntary 
humiliation ;  that  he  was  to  be  the  son  and  lord  of  Da- 
vid, yet  *'  a  man  of  sorrows,  and  acquainted  with 
"  grief"  They  denied  his  divinity;  and  themselves  un- 
wittingly fulfilled  the  prophecies  that  spoke  of  his  suf- 
ferings :  affording  by  their  conduct  a  memorable  proof 
how  fatally  persons  may  mistake  the  sense  of  th^  word 
of  God,  while  they  profess  highly  to  esteem  it. 

What  further  increased  their  contempt  of  his  claims, 
and  contributed  to  harden  their  hearts  more  implacably 
against  him,  was  the  obscurity  and  poverty  of  his  state. 
While  they  were  governed  by  worldly  wisdom,  and 
sought  not  the  teaching  of  God's  Spirit,  they  could  not 
but  suppose  an  utter  repugnance  between  the  meanness 
of  his  condition  and  the  honours  he  vindicated  to  him- 
self They  expected  a  Messiah  to  come  in  pomp  and 
power,  to  deliver  them  from  the  Roman  yoke.  For  a 
person  truly  divine,  who  made  himself  equal  with  God, 
to  be  encompassed  with  poverty  and  distress,  seemed 
such  profane  contradiction  as  might  justify  every  mark 
of  indignity  they  could  offer  him.  And  this  difficulty 
must  equally  affect  every  unenlightened  mind,  \iman 
had  been  left  to  devise  in  what  manner  the  Lord  of  the 
universe  would  probably  descend  to  dwell  a  while  with 


Chap.  3.        A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  43 

poor  mortals  in  a  visible  form,  they  would  undoubtedly 
have  imagined  such  a  scene,  (if  their  thoughts  could  have 
reached  it,)  as  is  described  by  the  prophets  on  other  oc- 
casions. The  heavens  bowing,  the  earth  shaking,  the 
mountains  ready  to  start  from  their  places,  and  all 
nature  labouring  to  do  homage  to  her  Creator.  Or,  if 
he  came  in  a  milder  way,  they  would,  at  least,  have 
contrived  an  assemblage  of  all  that  we  conceive  mag- 
nificent; a  pomp  and  splendour  surpassing  all  the  world 
ever  saw.  Expecting  nations,  crowding  to  welcome  his 
arrival,  and  thrones  of  gold,  and  palaces  of  ivory, 
would  have  been  judged  too  mean  to  accommodate  so 
glorious  a  guest.  But  the  Lord's  thoughts  and  ways 
are  different  from  man's.  The  beloved  Son  of  God, 
by  whom  all  things  were  made,  was  born  in  a  stable, 
and  grew  up  in  an  obscure  and  mean  condition.  He 
came  to  suffer  and  to  die  for  sin,  to  sanctify  poverty 
and  affliction  to  his  people,  to  set  a  perfect  example  of 
patience  and  submission  ;  therefore  he  made  himself  of 
no  reputation,  but  took  on  him  the  form  and  offices  of 
a  servant.  This  was  the  appointment  of  divine  wis- 
dom; but  so  incredible  in  the  judgment  of  blinded 
mortals,  that  the  apostle  assures  us  "  no  man  can  say 
"  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord  ;"  can  perceive  and  acknow- 
ledge his  inherent  excellence  and  authority,  through 
the  disgraceful  circumstances  of  his  humiliation,  "  but 
"  by  the  Holy  Ghost*."  His  enemies  therefore  thought 
they  sufficiently  refuted  his  assertions,  by  referring  to 
his  supposed  parents,  and  the  reputed  place  of  his 
nativity. 

Their  envy  and  hatred  were  still  more  inflamed,  by 
observing  the  character  of  his  followers.     These  were 

*  1  Cor.  xii.  3. 


4#  A  Revieto  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  I. 

chiefly  poor  and  illiterate  persons,  and  many  of  them 
had  been  notoriously  wicked,  or  accounted  so ;  publi- 
cans and  sinners,  whose  names  and  professions  were 
vile  to  a  proverb.  And  for  such  as  these,  and  almost 
these  only,  to  acknowledge  the  person  whom  they  re- 
fused, and  by  professing  themselves  his  disciples*  to 
set  up  for  being  wiser  than  their  teachers  ;  this  was  a 
mortification  to  their  pride  which  they  could  not  bear  ; 
especially  when  they  found  their  number  daily  to  in- 
crease, and  therefore  could  not  but  fear  their  own  influ- 
ence would  proportionably  decline. 

Once  more  :  Mistaking  the  nature  of  his  kingdom, 
■which  he  often  spoke  of,  they  opposed  him  from  rea- 
sons of  state  ;  they  feared,  or  pretended  to  fear,  that 
if  they  suffered  him  to  go  on,  the  increase  of  his  disci- 
ples would  give  umbrage  to  the  Romans,  who  would 
come  and  take  away  both  their  places  and  their  nationf. 
Some,  perhaps,  really  had  this  apprehension;  but  it 
was  more  generally  a  pretence,  which  the  leaders  made 
use  of  to  alarm  the  ignorant.  They  were,  in  truth, 
impatient  of  the  Roman  yoke,  prone  to  tumults,  and 
ready  to  listen  to  every  deceiver  who  promised  them 
deliverance,  under  pretence  of  being  their  expected 
Messiah,  But,  from  enmity  and  opposition  to  Jesus, 
they  became  loyal  at  once.  So  they  might  accomplish 
their  designs  against  him,  they  were  content  to  torijet 
other  grievances,  and  openly  professed  they  would  have 
no  other  king  but  CoBsar. 

These  were  some  of  the  chief  motives  which  united 
the  opposite  interests  and  jarring  sentiments  ot  the 
Jewish  sects  against  our  blessed  Lord.  We  are  next 
to  consider  the  methods  they  employed  to  prejudice  the 

*  John  vii.  49. ;  ix.  34.  t  John  xi.  48. 


Chap.  3.        A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History/.  ^ 

multitudes  against  him.  The  bulk  of  the  common  peo- 
ple seldom  think  for  themselves  in  religious  concerns, 
but  judge  it  sufficient  to  give  up  their  understandings 
and  consciences  to  their  professed  *  teachers.  They 
are,  however,  for  the  most  part,  more  unprejudiced 
and  open  to  conviction  than  their  guides,  whose  repu- 
tation and  interest  are  more  nearly  concerned  to  main- 
tain every  established  error,  and  to  stop  up  every  ave- 
nue by  which  truth  and  reformation  might  enter.  The 
Jewish  people,  uninfluenced  by  the  proud  and  selfish 
views  of  the  priests  and  rulers,  readily  honoured  the 
ministry  of  Christ,  and  attended  him  in  great  multi- 
tudes. If  they  did  not  enter  into  the  grand  design  of 
his  mission,  they,  at  least,  gave  him  testimonies  of 
respect.  When  Jesus  caused  the  If  dumb  to  speak,  the 
maimed  to  be  whole,  the  lame  to  walk,  and  the  blind 
to  see,  they  glorified  the  God  of  Israel,  saying,  "  A 
"  great  prophet  is  risen  up  amongst  us,  God  has  visited 
"  his  people."  Now,  \vhat  was  to  be  done  in  this  case  ? 
Would  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  stand  unconcerned.? 
No  ;  it  is  said  in  several  places,  they  were  filled  with 
indignation  J:,  and  essayed  every  means  to  bring  his 
person  and  miracles  into  disrepute.  The  methods  they 
used  are  worthy  of  notice,  having  been  often  repeated 

*  This  is  much  to  be  lamented;  for,"  if  the  blind  lead  the  blind, 
•"  shall  they  not  both  fall  into  the  ditch  ?"  Matt.  xv.  14.  When  the 
blind  lead  the  blind,  how,  indeed,  can  it  be  otherwise  ;  if  the  for- 
mer imagine  they  see,  and  the  latter  are  content  to  be  led  ?  Alas, 
for  the  people  that  are  in  such  a  case  !  alas,  for  their  guides ! 

t   Matt.  XV.  31,  ;   Luke  vli.  lt>.' 

\  It  is  a  strong  symptom  of  hypocrisy  and  enmity  to  the  Gos- 
pel, to  be  offended  with  any  new  and  remarkable  displays  of  di- 
vine gi'ace. 


4$  A  lievievj  of  Ecclesiastical  Histori/.  Book  f. 

since,  (as  to  their  substance,)  against  the  servants  of 
Christ. 

1.  They  availed  themselves  of  a  popular  mistake 
concerning  his  birth.  Jesus  was  born  in  Bethlehem, 
according  to  the  Scriptures ;  but  being  removed  Irom 
thence  in  his  infancy,  to  avoid  Herod's  cruelty,  and  his 
parents  afterwards  living  at  Nazareth  in  Galilee,  he 
tvas  supposed  by  many  to  have  been  born  there.  Even 
Nathanael  was  prejudiced  by  this  mistake  ;  but  happily 
yielded  to  Philip's  advice  to  examine  for  himself. 
But  it  prevented  many  from  inquiring  much  about 
Jesus,  and  therefore  his  enemies  made  the  most  of  it, 
and  confidently  appealed  to  the  Scripture,  when  it 
seemed  to  decide  in  their  favour.  *  "  Search  and  look, 
*"*  for  out  of  Galilee  ariseth  no  prophet."  It  is  probable, 
many  were  staggered  with  this  objection,  and  thought  it 
sufficient  to  invalidate  all  his  discourses  and  miracles, 
since,  let  him  say  and  do  what  he  would,  he  could  not 
be  the  Messiah  if  he  was  born  in  Galilee. 

2.  They  urged,  that  he  could  not  be  of  God,  because- 
he  infringed  the  law  of  Moses,  and  broke  the  sabbath  -f. 
This,  though  it  may  seem  a  groundless  objection  to  us, 
•was  not  so  to  many  at  that  time,  who  knew  not  the 
spiritual  design  and  meaning  of  the  law,  and,  perhaps, 
had  not  the  opportunity  to  hear  our  Lord  vindicate 
himself  They  urged  this  vehemently  against  the  force 
of  a  notorious  miracle,  and  not  without  some  colour 
from  the  words  of  Moses  J  himself,  who  had  warned 
them  to  beware  of  false  teachers,  though  they  should 
confirm  their  doctrine  by  signs  and  wonders. 

3.  They  reproached  the  freedom  of  his  conversation. 

*   Johnvii.  42.  52.       f  John  ix.  16.       t  Deut.  xiii.  1,  2,  3. 


Chap.  3.        A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  0- 

Jesus  was  of  easy  access,  and  condescended  to  con- 
verse and  eat  with  any  who  invited  him.  He  neither 
practised  nor  enjoined  the  austerities,  which  carry  the 
air  of  superior  sanctity  in  the  judgment  of  weak  and 
superstitious  minds.  They  therefore  styled  him  "  a  glut- 
"  ton*  and  wine-bibber,  a  friend  of  publicans  and  sin- 
**  ners ;"  that  is,  (as  they  intended  it,)  a  companion 
with  them,  and  a  conniver  at  their  wickedness.  Nothing 
could  be  more  false  and  slanderous  than  this  charge,  or 
more  easily  refuted,  if  the  people  would  examine  closely. 
But  as  it  came  from  teachers  who  were  highly  rever- 
enced for  mortification,  and  as  Jesus  was  usually  at- 
tended by  many  with  whom  it  was  thought  infamous 
to  associate,  it  could  not  but  have  great  weight  with 
the  credulous  and  indolent. 

4.  They  laid  much  stress  upon  the  mean  condition 
of  his  followers.  They  were  mostly  Galileans,  a  people 
of  small  estimation,  and  of  the  lowest  rank,  fishermen 
or  publicans  ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  few  or  none 
of  the  rulers  or  Pharisees,  who  were  presumed  to  be 
best  qualified  t  to  judge  of  his  pretensions,  had  believed 
on  him.  Those  who  are  acquainted  with  human  nature, 
cannot  but  know  how  strongly  this  appeal  to  the  judg- 
ment of  persons  eminent  for  their  learning  or  station, 
operates  upon  minds  who  have  no  better  criterion  of 
truth.  How  could  a  Jew,  who  had  been  from  his  in- 
fancy superstitiously  attached  to  the  Pharisees,  suppose 
that  these  eminently  devout  men,  who  spent  their  lives 
in  the  study  of  the  law,  would  have  rejected  Jesus,  if 
iie  had  been  a  good  man  ? 

o.  When,  notv^ithstanding  all  their. surmises,  multi- 
tudes still  profess  high  thoughts  of  Jesus,  beholding. 

*  Luke  vii.  34.  t  John.  vii.  48. 


48  A  Review  of  Ecclesiaslical  History,  Book  I. 

his  wonderful  works ;  they  proceeded,  with  the  most 
blasphemous  effrontery,  to  defame  the  miracles  they 
could  not  deny,  and  maliciously  ascribed  them  to  the 
agency  of  the  devil*.  This  pertinacious  resistance  to 
the  conviction  both  of  their  senses  and  consciences, 
was  the  highest  stage  of  impiety,  and  constituted  their 
sin,  (as  our  Lord  assured  them,)  unpardonable.  Not 
that  any  sin,  considered  in  itself,  is  too  great  for  the 
blood  of  Jesus  to  expiate ;  but,  as  they  utterly  re- 
nounced and  scorned  his  mediation,  there  remained  no 
other  sacrifice,  but  they  were  judicially  given  up  to 
incurable  impenitence  and  hardness  of  heart.  Yet  it  is 
probable,  that  even  this  black  assertion  was  not  with- 
out influence  upon  some  who  were  wedded  to  their 
sins,  and  therefore  glad  of  any  pretext,  how  unreason- 
able soever,  to  refuse  the  testimony  of  truth. 

6.  Another  means  they  made  use  of,  (the  last  we 
shall  enumerate,)  and  not  the  least  effectual,  to  intimi- 
date the  minds  of  the  people  from  acknowledging  Jesus, 
was  the  convincing  argument  of  violence  and  ill  treat- 
ment. Having  the  power  in  their  hands,  they  employed 
it  against  his  followers,  and  made  an  agreement,  that 
whoever  confessed  he  was  Christ,  should  be  put  out  of 
the  synagogue}",  that  is,  e.vcovimu7iicatcd.  This  decree 
seems  to  have  been  made  by  the  Sanhedrim,  or  great 
council,  and  to  imply,  not  merely  an  exclusion  from 
the  rites  of  public  worship,  but  likewise  a  positive  pu- 
nishment, equivalent  to  an  outlawry  with  us.  The  fear 
of  incurring  this  penalty  restrained  the  parents  of  the 
man  born  blind,  and  prevented  many  others;];,  who 
were  in  their  hearts  convinced  that  he  was  the  Messiah, 
from  owning  him  as  such.     They  loved  the  world,  they 

*   Matt.,  xii.  24.         f  John  ix.  2^.  \  John  xii.  42. 


CJiap.  3.        A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  49 

preferred  the  praise  of  men  to  the  praise  of  God,  and 
therefore  remained  silent  and  neuter. 

From  such  motives,  and  by  such  methods,  our  Lord 
was  resisted  and  opposed  by  the  heads  of  the  Jewish  na- 
tion. The  scribes  and  teachers, to  whom  the  key  of  know- 
ledge was  by  authority  committed,  disdained  to  use  it 
themselves,  and  those  who  were  willing  they  hindered. 
Had  they  been  wise  and  faithful,  they  would  have  di- 
rected the  people  to  Christ ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  they 
darkened  the  plainest  Scriptures,  and  perverted  the  clear- 
est facts,  to  prevent,  if  possible,  his  reception.  In  vain 
"  he  spoke  as  never  man  spoke,"  and  multiplied  the  won- 
ders of  his  power  and  love  in  their  presence.  In  vain 
to  them.  They  pursued  him  with  unwearied  subtilty* 
and  malice ;  traduced  him  to  the  people  and  to  the  go- 
vernment, and  would  be  satisfied  with  nothing  less  than 
his  death.  So  obstinate  and  wicked  is  the  heart  of 
man ;  so  fatal  are  the  prejudices  of  pride  and  worldly 
interest.  For,  as  we  observed  before,  these  tempers 
were  not  peculiar  to  the  Jews  ;  they  are  essential  to  de- 
praved nature,  and  operate  universally,  where  the  grace 
of  God  does  not  make  a  difference.  To  this  hour  the 
Gospel  of  Christ  is  opposed  upon  the  same  grounds, 
and  by  the  like  artifices,  as  were  once  employed  against 
his  person. 

The  doctrines  which  his  faithful  ministers  deduce  and 
enforce  from  the  written  word  are  no  other  than  what 
he  himself  taught,  namely,  a  declaration  of  his  personal 

*  Mark  xii.  13.  They  sent  unto  him  certain  of  the  Pharisees  to 
catch  him.  Ay^tvto  expresses  the  art  and  assiduity  of  sportsmen, 
in  the  various  methods  they  use  to  ensnare,  entangle,  or  destroy 
their  game.  It  well  suits  the  spirit  and  design  of  our  Lord's 
enemies,  in  the  question  proposed,  and  is  finely  contrasted  by 
the  meekness  and  wisdom  of  his  answer. 

Vol..  HI.  n 


50  A  Revieio  of  Ecclesiastical  Hisior I/.         Book  I. 

honours  and  authority,  of  the  insufficiency  of  formal 
worship,  in  which  the  heart  is  not  concerned,  of  the 
extent  and  spirituality  of  the  law  of  God,  and  of  sal- 
vation, freely  proclaimed  to  the  miserable,  through 
faith  in  his  name.  The  self-righteous,  the  self- wise, 
and  all  who  are  devoted  to  the  pleasures  and  honours  of 
the  world,  have  each  their  particular  exceptions  to  these 
truths.  The  wisdom  of  God  they  account  foolishness, 
and  the  language  of  their  hearts  is,  "  We  will  not  have 
"  this  man  to  reign  over  us."  And  the  success  of  these 
doctrines,  which  is  chiefly  visible  among  such  as  they 
have  been  accustomed  to  despise,  is  equally  oflfensive; 
yet  so  inconsistent  are  they,  that  if,  here  and  there,  a 
few  persons  who  were  before  eminent  for  their  rank, 
attainments,  or  morality,  are  prevailed  on  to  "  account 
''  all  things  but  loss  and  dung  for  the  excellency  of  the 
"  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  their  Lord  ;"  this,  instead 
of  removing  their  first  objection,  excites  their  rage  and 
contempt  still  more. 

And  as  the  motives  of  their  hatred,  so  their  methods 
of  expressing  it,  are  the  same.  They  are  not  ashamed 
to  adopt  and  exaggerate  the  most  vulgar  misconcep- 
tions; they  set  the  Scripture  at  variance  with  itself;  and, 
while  they  pass  over  the  plainest  and  most  important 
passages  unnoticed,  they  dwell  upon  a  few  texts  of  more 
dubious  import,  and  therefore  more  easily  accommo- 
dated to  their  sense  ;  with  these  they  flourish  and  tri- 
umph, and  aftect  a  high  zeal  in  defence  of  the  word 
of  God.  They  reproach  the  pure  Gospel  as  licentious, 
because  it  exposes  the  vanity  of  their  singularities  and 
will-worship  ;  and  are  desirous  to  bind  heavier  burdens 
upon  men's  shoulders,  which  few  of  themselves  will 
touch  with  one  of  their  fingers.  They  enlarge  on  the 
weakness  and  ignorance  of  those  who  mostly  receive 


Chap.  3.         A  Bevien)  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  61 

the  new  doctrine,  and  intrench  themselves  under  the 
sanction  of  learned  and  dignified  names.  They  even 
venture  to  explode  and  vilify  the  evident  effects  of  God's 
grace,  and  ascribe  the  agency  of  his  Spirit  to  enthu- 
siasm, infatuation,  and  madness,  if  not  expressly  to 
diabolical  influence.  And,  lastly,  so  far  as  Divine  Pro- 
vidence permits,  they  show  themselves  actuated  by  the 
primitive  spirit  of  oppression  and  violence,  in  pursuing 
the  faithful  followers  of  the  truth  with  censures  and 
penalties. 

But  let  who  will  rage,  and  imagine  vain  things,  Jesus 
is  the  King  in  Zion.  He  is  "  the  same  yesterday,  to- 
"  day,  and  for  ever."  There  were  a  happy  few  in  the 
days  of  his  flesh  who  beheld  his  glory,  trusted  on  him 
for  salvation,  and  attended  him  amidst  the  many  re- 
proaches and  sufferings  he  endured  from  sinners.  Of 
these,  his  first  witnesses,  we  are  to  speak  in  the  follow- 
ing chapter.  His  Gospel  likewise,  though  opposed  by 
many,  and  slighted  by  more,  is  never  preached  in  vain. 
To  some,  it  will  always  be  the  power  and  wisdom  of 
God ;  they  know  in  whom  they  have  believed,  and 
therefore  are  not  ashamed  to  appear  in  his  cause  against 
all  disadvantages.  Supported  and  encouraged  by  his 
Spirit,  they  go  on  from  strength  to  strength,  and  are 
successively  made  more  than  conquerors,  by  his  blood, 
and  the  word  of  his  testimony. 


S2  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  1. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Observations  on  the  calling  and  characters  of  our  LorcTs  Apos^ 
tics  and  Disciples,  previous  to  his  Ascension. 

So  ROM  what  has  been  observed  in  the  preceding  chap- 
ters, it  is  evident,  that  those  who  assert  a  principle  of 
free-will  in  man,  sufficiently  enabling  him  to  choose  and 
determine  for  himself,  when  the  truths  of  the  Gospel 
are  plainly  laid  before  him,  do  thereby,  (so  far  as  in  them 
lies,)  render  the  salvation  of  mankind  highly  precarious, 
if  not  utterly  hopeless  and  impracticable!,  Notwith- 
standing God  was  pleased  to  send  his  own  Son  with  a 
gracious  message ;  notwithstanding  his  whole  life  was  a 
series  of  wonders,  and  all  his  actions  discovered  a  wis- 
dom, power,  and  goodness  answerable  to  his  high 
character ;  notwithstanding  the  time,  manner,  and  de- 
sign of  his  appearance  and  sufferings  had  been  clearly 
foretold  ;  yet,  so  far  as  a  judgment  can  be  made  from 
the  event,  he  would  certainly  have  lived  and  died  in 
vain,  without  influence  or  honour,  without  leaving  a 
single  disciple,  if  the  same  grace  that  provided  the 
means  of  redemption  had  not  engaged  to  make  them 
effectual,  by  preparing  and  disposing  the  hearts  of  sin- 
ners to  receive  him. 

In  the  account  given  us  by  the  evangelists  of  those 
-who  professed  themselves  his  disciples,  we  may  discern, 
as  in  miniature,  the  general  methods  of  his  grace ;  and 
comparing  his  personal  ministry  with  the  effects  of  his 
Gospel  in  all  succeeding  times,  we  may  be  assured 
that  the  work  and  the  power  are  still  the  same.  The 
choice  he  made  of  his  disciples,  the  manner  of  their 
calling,  their  characters,  and  even  their  defects  and 


Ghap.  4.         A  Revieto  (^  Ecclesiastical  History.  53 

failings,  in  a  word,  all  that  is  recorded  concerning 
them  is  written  for  our  instruction,  and  is  particularly 
useful,  to  teach  us  the  true  meaning  of  what  passes 
within  our  own  observation. 

First.  Several  things  are  worthy  our  notice  in  this 
view,  with  respect  to  the  choice  of  his  disciples. 

1.  They  were  comparatively  very  few.  He  was,  in- 
deed, usually  attended  by  multitudes  in  the  different 
places  where  he  preached,  because  he  spoke  with  a 
power  they  had  never  met  with  before,  and  because  he 
healed  the  sick,  fed  the  hungry,  and  did  good  to  all ; 
but  he  had  very  few  constant  followers.  Those  who 
assembled  at  Jerusalem,  after  his  ascension,  are  said  to 
have  been  but  about  one  hundred  and  twenty* ;  ^nd 
when  he  appointed  his  disciples  a  solemn  meeting  in 
Galilee,  informing  them  before-hand  of  tlie  time  and 
place  where  he  would  come  to  them,  the  number  that 
then  met  here  is  expressed  by  the  apostle  to  have 
been  more  thanf  five  hundred.  We  can  hardly  suppose 
that  any  who  loved  him,  and  were  able  to  travel,  would 
have  been  absent  upon  so  interesting  an  occasion  ;  but 
how  small  a  company  was  this,  compared  with  the 
many  thousands  among  whom  he  had  conversed  in 
all  the  cities  and  villages  through  which  he  had  passed, 
preaching  the  Gospel,  and  performing  innumerable  mira- 
cles, for  more  than  three  years !  Well  might  the  prophet 
say,  foreseeing  the  small  success  he  would  meet  with^ 

*  Acts  i.  15. 

t  1  Cor.  XV.  6.  The  word  brethren  there  used  does  not  prove 
that  none  but  men  vrere  present  at  that  time,  any  more  than  that, 
because  the  apostles,  in  their  public  preaching,  addressed  their 
hearers  as  "  men  and  brethren,"  there  were  therefore  no  wo- 
men amongst  them,  or  the  women  were  not  considered  as  ha- 
ving any  interest  or  concern  in  the  Gospel  Ministry. 


54  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  I^ 

"  Who  hath  believed  our  report,  and  to  whom  hath  the 
"  arm  of  the  Lord  been  revealed  ?"  But  since  he,  in 
whom  the  fulness  of  grace  resided,  had  so  few  disci- 
ples, it  may  lessen  our  surprise,  that  his  Gospel, 
though  in  itself  the  power  and  wisdom  of  God,  should 
meet  with  so  cold  a  reception  amongst  men  as  it  has 
in  fact  always  done. 

2.  Of  those  few  who  professed  a  more  entire  attach- 
ment to  his  person,  a  considerable  part,  after  attending 
him  for  some  time,  went  back  and  walked  no  more 
with  him.  They  were  but  superficially  convinced,  and 
rather  struck  with  the  power  of  his  words  and  works, 
than  deeply  sensible  of  their  own  need  of  him.  When, 
therefore,  upon  a  certain  occasion,  he  spoke  of  the 
more  inward  and  experimental  part  of  religion,  the  life 
of  faith,  and  the  necessity  of  eating  his  flesh  and  drink- 
ing his  blood,  so  many  were  offended  at  his  doctrine,  and 
forsook*  him,  that  he  said  unto  the  twelve,  "  Will  ye 
"  also  go  away?"  which  seems  to  imply,  that  there 
were  few  but  these  remaining.  Therefore,  though  we  see 
at  present  that,  where  the  sound  of  the  Gospel  brings 
multitudes  together,  many,  who  for  a  season  appeared 
in  earnest,  gradually  decline  in  their  profession,  and, 
at  length,  wholly  return  to  their  former  ways,  we  have 
the  less  reason  to  wonder  or  be  discouraged,  remem- 
bering that  it  was  thus  from  the  beginning. 

3.  Those  who  believed  on  Christ  then,  were  chiefly, 
(as  we  had  occasion  to  observe  before,)  persons  of  low 
condition,  and  many  of  them  had  been  formerly 
vile  and  obnoxious  in  their  conduct.  While  the  wise 
and  learned  rejected  him,  his  more  immediate  follow] 
ers  were  Galileans,  fishermen,  publicans,  and  sinners. 

*  John  vi.  66,  67. 


Chap.  4.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  55. 

This  was  observed,  and  urged  to  his  reproach  and  theirs ; 
and  the  like  offence  has  always  attended  his  Gospel. 
But  what  enrages  his  enemies,  fills  the  hearts  and  mouths 
of  his  poor  people  with  praise.  They*  adore  his  conde- 
scension in  taking  notice  of  the  most  unworthy,  and  ad- 
mire the  efficacy  of  his  grace  in  making  those  who  were 
once  wretched  slaves  to  Satan,  a  free  and  willing  people 
in  the  day  of  his  power. 

4.  But  this  was  not  universally  the  case.  Though 
not  many  wise,  rich,  or  noble,  were  called,  there  were 
some  even  of  these.  His  grace  triumphed  over  every 
circumstance  of  life.  Zaccheus  was  a  rich  manf ;  Ni- 
codemus,  a  ruler  of  the  Jews ;  Joseph,  an  honourable 
counsellor.  We  also  read  of  a  nobleman  or  courtier 
who  believed,  with  all  his  house.  In  every  age,  like- 
wise, there  have  been  some  persons  of  distinguished 
eminence  for  birth,  honours,  and  abilities,  who  have 
cheerfully  engaged  in  the  profession  of  a  despised  Gos- 
pel, though  they  have  thereby  incurred  a  double  share 
of  opposition  from  the  men  of  the  world,  especiall}^ 
from  those  of  their  own  rank.  The  number  of  these 
has  been  always  sufficient  to  confute  those  who  would 
insinuate,  that  the  Gospel  is  only  suited  to  the  taste  of 
the  vulgar  and  ignorant;  yet  it  has  always  been  so  small, 
as  to  make  it  evident  that  the  truth  is  not  supported 

*  Luke  i.  52,  53. 

t  Zaccheus  was  a  chief  or  principal  publican,  to  whom  the  rest 
were  accountable  ;  a  commissioner  of  the  revenue.  "  And  h^ 
"  was  rich."  The  Greek  is  more  expressive,  "  And  this  was  3 
"  rich  man ;"  Luke  xix.  2. :  perhaps  alluding  to  what  had  past 
a  little  before  ;  chap,  xviii.  25.  Thi^s  remark  is  added,  to  remind 
us,  that  what  is  impossible  with  men,  is  easy  to  him  who  can 
speak  to  the  heart,  and  turn  it  as  he  will. 


56  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  I. 

by  the  wisdom  or  influence  of  men,  but  by  the  power 
and  providence  of  God. 

5.  It  is  further  observable,  that  several  of  our  Lord's 
few  disciples  were  under  previous  connexions  amongst 
themselves.  Peter*  and  Andrew  were  brothers,  as  like- 
wise James  and  John ;  and  these,  together  with  Philip, 
and,  perhaps,  Nathanael,  seem  to  have  been  all  of  onef 
town.  The  other  James  and  Jude  were  also  bre- 
thren. So  it  is  said,  Jesus  loved  Mary,  and  her  sister, 
and  Lazarus,  three  in  one  house ;  when,  perhaps,  the 
whole  place  hardly  afforded  a  fourth ;  and  more  in  a 
single  village  than  were  to  be  found  in  many  larger  ci- 
ties taken  together.  This  circumstance  more  strongly 
marked  the  discrimination  of  his  grace,  in  making  the 
means  effectual  where,  and  to  Avhom  he  pleased.  Such 
has  been  the  usual  event  of  his  Gospel  since.  It  is 
proclaimed  to  all,  but  accepted  by  few  ;  and  of  these 
several  are  often  found  in  one  family,  while  their  next- 
door  neighbours  account  it  a  burden  and  offence.  It 
flourishes  here  and  there  J  in  a  few  places,  while  those 
of  the  adjacent  country  are  buried  in  more  than  Egyp- 
tian darkness,  and  resist  the  endeavours  of  those  who 

*  John  i.  40. 

t  Conip.  Mark  i.  16.  Luke  v.  10,  with  John  i.  44,  45.  These 
six,  and  more  than  these,  were  fishermen,  John  xxi.  2.;  and  such 
they  continued  ;  only  their  net  success  and  capture  were  so  much 
changed,  that  it  became  a  new  calling  :  he  made  them  fishers  of 
men.  In  the  fisherman's  calling,  there  is  required  a  certain  dexte- 
rity, much  patience,  and  a  readiness  to  bear  hardships.  Perhaps 
many  observations  they  made  in  their  form.er  business  were  use- 
ful to  them  afterwards.  And  the  Lord  still  brings  'ip  his  ser- 
vants so  that  the  remembrance  of  former  years,  (the  years  of  ig- 
norance,) becomes  a  rule  and  encouragement  in  future  and  dif- 
ferent scenes  of  life. 

I  Amos  iv.  7. 


Chap.  4.  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  57 

would  invite  them  to  partake  of  the  same  benefits. 
Thus  the  Lord  is  pleased  to  display  his  own  soverei^inty, 
in  raising  and  sending  forth  his  ministers  when  and 
where  he  sees  fit,  and  in  determining  the  subjects  and 
measure  of  their  success.  If  others  dispute  and*  cavil 
against  this  procedure,  those  who  believe  have  cause  to 
adore  his  goodness  to  themselves;  and  a  day  is  at  hand, 
when  every  mouth  shall  be  stopped  that  would  contend 
with  the  just  Judge  of  all  the  earth.  The  impenitent 
and  unbelieving  will  not  then  dare  to  charge  him  with 
injustice,  for  dealing  with  them  according  to  their  own 
counsels  and  desires,  inasnmch  as  when  the  light  of 
truth  was  ready  to  break  upon  them,  they  chose  dark- 
ness rather  than  light,  because  their  deeds  were  evil. 

Secondly.  In  the  calling  of  our  Lord's  disciples,  and 
the  manner  in  which  they  were  brought  to  know  and  serve 
him,  we  may  discover  the  same  variety  as,  at  this  day, 
appears  in  the  conversion  of  sinners  by  the  preaching  of 
the  Gospel. 

Some,  from  a  religious  education,  and  early  acquaint- 

*  See  Rom.  xi.  is 3.  There  are  but  few  who  dispute  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  the  Divine  Decrees  with  that  reverence  and  caution  St.  Paul 
expresses.  In  chap  ix.;  when  an  objection  was  started,  he  cuts  it 
short  with,  "  But  who  art  thou  O  man,  that  repliest  against  God  ?" 
And  here  he  breaks  off  abruptly,  with,  "  O  tlie  depth  !"  He  seems 
to  have  followed  the  narrow  winding  strcr.ms  of  human  reasoning, 
till  he  finds  himself,  unawares,  upon  the  brink  of  an  ocean  that  has 
neither  bounds  nor  bottom.  And  every  word  expresses  the  reverence 
and  astonishment  with  which  his  mind  was  fdled.  The  wisdom  of 
the  divine  counsels  in  their  first  plan  ;  the  knowledge  of  their  exten- 
sive consequences  in  this  world,  in  all  worlds,  in  time,  and  in  eter- 
nity ;  the  riches  of  that  wisdom  and  knowledge  ;  the  depth  of  those 
riches ;  his  counsels  inaccessible  ;  his  proceedings  untraceable  ; 
all  is  wonderful  in  St.  Paul's  view.  How  different  this  from  the 
trifling  arrogant  spirit  of  too  many  upon  this  topic  ! 

Vol.  in.  I 


58  A  Reoiexvi  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  I.* 

ance  with  the  Scriptures,  and  the  secret  influence  of 
the  Spirit  of  God  upon  their  hearts,  are  gradually  pre- 
pared for  the  reception  of  the  truth.  They  read,  and 
strive,  and  pray ;  they  feel  an  uneasiness  and  a  want, 
which  they  know  not  how  to  remedy.  They  are  sin- 
cerely desirous  to  know  and  do  the  will  of  God ;  and 
yet,  through  misapprehension,  and  the  influence  of  po- 
pular prejudice,  they  are  for  a  season  withheld  from 
the  means  that  would  relieve  themv  But  at  length, 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  explains  to  them  the  mean- 
ing of  their  former  exercises,  exactly  answers  to  the 
state  of  their  minds,  and  thereby  brings  its  own  evi- 
dence. Similar  to  this  was  the  case  of  Nathanael : 
when  our  Lord  referred  him  to  what  had  passed  under 
the  fig-tree,  where  he  had  thought  himself  alone  and 
unobserved,  his  doubts  and  scruples  vanished  in  an  in- 
stant. There  is  little  doubt  but  Nathanael  had  been 
praying  under  the  fig-tree,  and  probably  desiring  a  fur- 
ther knowledge  of  the  prophecies,  and  their  accomplish- 
ment in  the  Messiah.  He  had  heard  of  Jesus,  but 
could  not  fully  clear  up  the  objections  made  against 
him ;  but  wow  he  was  convinced  and  satisfied  in  a 
moment. 

The  attention  of  some  is  drawn  by  what  they  see  and 
hear  around  them.  They  form  a  favourable  opinion  of 
the  Gospel  from  the  remarkal>le  cttects  it  produces  ; 
but  their  first  inquiries  are  damped  by  diificulties  which 
they  cannot  get  over,  and  they  are  ready  to  say,  '^  How 
"  can  these  thinn-s  be?"  Their  interests  and  connexions 
in  life  are  a  further  hindrance  ;  the  fear  of  man,  which 
bringeth  a  snare,  is  a  great  restraint  upon  their  inqui- 
ries ;  but  now  and  then,  when  they  can  venture  with- 
out being  noticed,  they  seek  further  instruction.  Now, 
though  this  hesitating  spirit,  which  pays   so  much  de- 


Chap.  4.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  S9 

ference  to  worldly  regards  in  the  search  of  truth,  is 
highly  blameable ;  yet  the  Lord,  who  is  rich  in  mercy, 
is  often  pleased  to  produce  a  happy  and  abiding  change 
from  such  imperfect  beginnings.  As  they  increase  in 
knowledge  they  gain  more  courage,  and,  in  time,  ar- 
rive to  a  comfortable  experience  and  open  profession 
of  the  truth.  Thus  it  was  with  Nicodemus ;  he  was  at 
first  ignorant  and  fearful ;  but  his  interview  with  Jesus, 
by  night  had  a  good  effect.  He  afterwards  ventured 
to  speak  more  publicly*  in  his  favour,  though  still  he 
did  not  join  himself  to  the  disciples.  But  the  cir- 
cumstances of  Christ's  death  freed  him  from  all  fear, 
and  inspired  him  to  attempt  the  most  obnoxious  service, 
when  the  apostles  themselves  were  afraid  to  be  seen  "I". 

Others  are  first  prompted  to  hear  the  Gospel  from 
no  higher  motive  than  curiosity ;  but  going  as  mere 
spectators,  they  find  themselves  retained  as  parties  un- 
awares. The  word  of  God,  powerful  and  penetrating 
as  a  two-edged  sword,  discovers  the  thoughts  and  in- 
tents of  their  hearts,  presses  upon  their  consciences, 
and  seems  addressed  to  themselves  alone.  The  senti- 
ments they  carry  away  with  them  are  far  different  from 
those  they  brought;  and  a  change  in  their  whole  deport- 
ment immediatel}'^  takes  place.  Such  was  the  case  of 
Zaccheus  J  :  he  had  heard  much  of  Jesus,  and  desired  to 
see  him  ;  for  this  end  he  ran  before,  and  climbed  a  tree, 
from  whence  he  proposed  to  behold  him  unobserved. 
But  how  great  must  his  surprise  and  emotion  have  been, 
when  Jesus,  whom  he  had  considered  as  a  stranger, 
looked  up,  called  him  by  his  name,  and  invited  himself 
to  his  house. 

-Some  are  drawn  by  the  report  of  others  freely  de- 

*  John  vii.  50.  f  John  xix.  39.  \  Luke  xhc,  5,. 


jBO  A  B.emaii  of  Ecclesiastical  Hisfori/.  Book  I. 

claring  what  the  Lord  has  done  for  their  souls.  The 
relation  awakens  in  them  desires  after  him  which  are 
not  disappointed,  for  he  is  rich  enough  to  satisfy  all 
who  seek  to  him.  So  the  Samaritans,  whose  expecta- 
tions were  first  raised  by  the  woman's  declaration, 
*  "  Come  and  see  a  man  which  told  me  all  things  that 
"ever  I  did ;  is  not  this  the  Christ?"  had  soon  a  more 
convincini?  testimony,  and  could  say,  "  Now  we  believe, 
"  not  because  of  thy  word,  hut  v\e  have  heard  him  our- 
"  selves,  and  know  that  this  is  indeed  the  Christ,  the 
"  Saviour  of  the  world  " 

To  a  few,  the  first  impulses  of  divine  grace  come  sud- 
denly and  unthought  ot,  when  their  hearts  and  hands 
are  engaged  quite  another  way  :  as  Saul,  who  was  seek- 
ing his  father's  asses,  received  the  unexpected  news  of  a 
kingdom.  A  ray  of  truth  pierces  their  minds  like 
lightning,  and  disposes  them  to  leave  their  schemes 
unfinished,  to  seek  the  kingdoui  of  God,  and  his  righ- 
teousness only,  f  Thus  our  Lord  passed  by  the  sons  of 
Zebedee  when  mending  their  nets,  and  J  Matthew  while 
busied  at  the  receipt  of  custom.  He  only  said,  "  Fol- 
*'  low  me ;"  he  used  no  arjjuments,  he  proposed  no 
rewards  ;  but  he  spoke  to  their  hearts,  and,  by  the  con- 
straining power  of  his  love,  engaged  them  to  a  cheerful 
and  immediate  obedience. 

Afflictions  likewise  are  now,  no  less  than  formerly, 
a  happy  means  to  bring  many  to  Jesus.  He  prepares 
them  for  heavenly  blessings  by  embittering  or  removing 
their  creature  comtorts.  Had  they  continued  in  pro- 
sperity, they  would  not  have  thought  on  him ;  but  the 
loss  of  health,  or  friends,  or  substance,  disappointments 
in  life,  or  a  near  prospect  of  death,  constrain  them  in 

*  John  iv.  29.42.         t  Mark  i.  16—19.         4  Mark  ii.  14. 


Chap.  4.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  61 

good  earnest  to  seek  for  one  able  to  deliver  them.  In 
the  time  of  their  distress  they  say,  Arise  and  save  us. 
Not  that  afflictions  in  themselves  can  produce  this  turn 
of  thought.  Too  many  in  such  circumstances  toss  like 
a  wild  bull  in  a  net ;  but  when  he  sends  afflictions  for 
this  purpose,  they  accomplish  that  which  he  pleases. 
Thus,  when  he  was  upon  earth,  many  who  came  or 
were  brought  to*  him  for  the  relief  of  bodily  disorders, 
experienced  a  double  cure,  f  He  healed  their  diseases 
and  pardoned  their  sins.  At  the  same  time  that  he 
restored  thej  blind  to  sight,  he  opened  the  eyes  of  their 
minds.  He  sometimes  made  the  afflictions  of  one,  the 
means  to  bring  a  whole  family  to  the  knowlege  of  his 
grace.  A  considerable  part  of  his  followers  were  such 
as  these,  whom  he  had  graciously  relieved  from  distresses 
incurable  by  any  hand  but  his.  Some  had  been  long 
and  grievously  tormented,  had  essayed  every  means, 
but  found  themselves  vi/orse  and  worse  till  they  applied 
to  him ;  and  having  known  the  happy  effects  of  his 
power  and  compassion,  they  would  leave  him  no  more. 
Lastly,  we  sometimes  meet  with  instances  of  his 
mercy  and  ability  to  save  even  to  the  uttermost,  in  the 
unhoped-for  conversion  of  desperate  and  hardened  sin- 
ners, who  have  gone  on  with  a  high  hand,  regardless  of 
mercies,  warnings,  and  judgments,  till  they  seemed  past 
conviction,  and  given  up  to  a  reprobate  mind.  Their 
state  resembles  that  of  the  demoniac,  Luke  viii.  They 
are  so  entirely  under  the  power  of  the  devil,  (though  per- 
haps they  vainly  boast  of  freedom,)  that  no  arguments, 
no  motives,  no  resolutions,  can  restrain  them  vvithin 
bounds ;  but  they  break  through  every  tie  of  nature, 
conscience,  and  reason,  and  are  restless  drudges  in  the 

*  Mark  ii.  9.         f  John  ix.  7 — 36 — 38.  \  John  iv.  5Z. 


(2  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  I. 

service  of  sin,  though  they  feel  themselves  miserable  at 
present,  and  see  inevitable  ruin  before  their  eyes.  Yet 
even  this  case  is  not  too  hard  for  him  on  whom  the  sin- 
ners help  is  laid.  lie  can  dispossess  the  legion  with  a 
word,  he  can  take  the  prey  from  the  mighty,  and  deliver 
the  lawful  captive,  bind  the  strong  one  armed,  and  di- 
vide his  spoil.  Happy  change,  when  the  power  of  grace 
not  only  sets  the  soul  at  liberty  from  sin  and  Satan,  but 
puts  it  in  possession  of  what  were  lately  the  instruments 
of  its  slavery !  when  all  the  powers  and  faculties  of 
body  and  mind  are  redeemed  to  the  Lord's  use,  and  the 
experience  of  past  evil  is  made  conducive  to  future  com- 
fort and  advantage !  Such  an  instance  was  that  great 
sinner,  that  penitent,  believing  happy  soul,  of  whom  it 
is  emphatically  remarked,  *  "  She  loved  much,  because 
"  much  had  been  forgiven  her."  Sometimes  the  de- 
liverance is  deferred  till  near  the  period  of  life.  The 
poor  wretch,  labouring  under  the  pangs  or  dread  of 
death,  and  trembling  at  the  apprehension  of  falling  into 
the  hands  of  the  living  God,  is  snatched  as  a  brand  out 
of  the  iire ;  he  receives  faith  in  a  suffering  Saviour,  and 
feels  the  power  of  atoning  blood ;  his  terrors  cease, 
and  joy  succeeds,  a  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory. 
Thus  the  expiring  malefactor  f  was  converted  upon 
the  cross,  and  received  an  infallible  assurance  of  sal- 
vation. 

Thirdly.  The  characters  of  our  Lord's  disciples,  with 
the  account  we  have  of  their  defects  and  failings,  may 
further  illustrate  the  history  of  his  church  and  Gospel, 
and  afford  an  apology  for  the  blemishes  which,  through 
human  infirmity,  do,  more  or  less,  attend  the  prevalence 
of  his  doctrines. 

*  Luke  vii.  4f .  f  Luke  xxiii.  43. 


Chap.  4.        A  "Review  of  JEcclesiastical  History.  6S 

The  grace  of  God  has  a  real  influence  upon  the  whole 
man.  It  enlightens  the  understanding,  directs  the  will, 
purifies  the  affection,  regulates  the  passions,  and  cor- 
rects the  different  excesses  to  which  different  persons 
are  by  constitution  or  habit  inclined.     Yet  it  seldom 
wholly  changes  the  complexion  or  temper  of  the  animal 
frame.     It  does  not  impart  any  new  natural  powers, 
though  it  teaches  the  use  and  improvement  of  those  we 
have  received.      It  will  dispose  us  to  seek  instruction, 
make  us  open  to  conviction,  and  willing  to  part  with 
our  prejudices,  so  far  and  so  soon  as  we  discover  them, 
but  it  will  not  totally  and  instantaneously  remove  them. 
Hence  there  are  a  great  variety  of  characters  in  the 
Christian  life  ;  and  the  several  graces  of  the  Spirit,  as 
zeal,  love,  meekness,  faith,  appear  with  peculiar  advan- 
tage in  different  subjects  ;  yet  so,  that  every  commend- 
able property  is  subject  to  its  particular  inconvenience. 
Perfection  cannot  be  found  in  fallen  man.     The  best 
are  sometimes  blameable,  and  the    wisest  often  mis- 
taken.    Warm  and  active  tempers,  though  influenced, 
in  the  main,  by  the  noble  ambition  of  pleasing  God  in 
all  things,  are  apt  to  overshoot  themselves,  and  to  dis- 
cover a  resentment  and  keenness  of  spirit  which  cannot 
be  wholly  justified.     Others  of  a  more  fixed  and  sedate 
temper,  though  less  subject  to  this  extreme,  are  prone 
to   its   opposite ;    their    gentleness    degenerates    into 
indolence,  their  caution  into  cowardice.     The   prin- 
ciple  of  self,    likewise,    which,    though    subdued,    is 
not  eradicated,  will  in  some  instances  appear.     Add 
to    this,    the    unknown    access    and   influence    which 
the    evil   spirits  have  upon   our    minds  ;  the  sudden 
and  new  emergencies  which  surprise  us  into  action  be- 
'fore  we  have  had  time  to  deliberate,  with  many  other 
considerations  of  a  like  nature  ;  and  it  will  be  no  wonder 


€4  A  Reviexo  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  I, 

that  some  things  are  always  amiss  *,  in  the  best  and 
most  successful  attempts  to  promote  the  glory  of  God 
and  the  good  of  souls.  And  it  is  further  to  be  noted, 
that  some  individuals  will  be  found,  who,  though  seem- 
ingly eniiaged  in  the  same  good  work,  and,  for  a  time, 
pretending  to  much  zeal,  are  essentially  defective  in  their 
hearts  and  views  ;  and  when,  at  length,  their  true  cha- 
racters are  exposed,  the  world,  who  either  cannot  or 
will  not  distinguish,  charge  the  faults  of  a  few  upon  a 
whole  profession ;  as,  in  the  former  case,  they  wound 
the  character  of  a  good  man  for  unavoidable  and  invo- 
luntary mistakes.  We  shall  therefore  show,  that  either 
the  exceptions  made,  and  so  loudly  reverberated  in  our 
ears  against  the  Gospel-doctrine,  on  these  accounts,  are 
unjust,  or  that  there  was  sufficient  cause  to  reject  and 
condemn  our  Lord  and  his  apostles  for  the  same 
reasons. 

The  character  of  Peter  is  marked  with  admirable 
propriety  and  consistence  by  the  evangelists.  He  every 
where  appears  like  himself.  Earnestly  devoted  to  his 
Master's  person,  and  breathing  an  honest  warmth  for 
his  service,  he  was,  in  a  manner,  the  eye,  the  hand,  the 
mouth,  of  the  apostles.  He  was  the  first  to  ask,  to 
answer,  to  propose,  and  to  execute.  He  made  a  noble 
confession,  for  which  our  Lord  honoured  him  with  a 
peculiar  commendation.  He  waited  but  for  a  com- 
mand to  walk  to  him  upon  the   water.     He   was  not 

*  A  lukewarm,  cautious  spirit,  can  easily  avoid  and  readily 
censure  the  mistakes  and  faults  of  those,  who,  fired  with  an  ho- 
nest warmth  for  the  honour  of  God  and  the  good  of  souls,  are 
sometimes  transported  beyond  the  bounds  of  strict  prudence. 
But  though  the  best  intention  cannot  make  that  right  which  is 
wrong  in  itself,  yet  the  zeal,  diligence,  and  disinterested  aim  of 
such  persons  are  worthy  of  our  esteem. 


Chap.  4.         A  Revieio  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  6d 

afraid  to  expose  himself  in  his  Lord's  defence,  when  he 
was  surrounded  and  apprehended  by  his  enemies  ;  and 
though,  in  this  last  instance,  his  aftection  was  ill  ex- 
pressed, yet  his  motive  was  undoubtedly  praiseworthy. 
His  heart  flamed  with  zeal  and  love,  and  therefore  he 
was  always  forward  to  distinguish  himself 

But  the  warmth  of  Peter's   temper   often  betrayed 
him  into  great  difficulties,  and  showed  that  the  grace  he 
had  received  was  consistent  with  many  imperfections. 
Though  he  sincerely  loved  Christ,  and  had  forsaken  all 
for  him,  he  was,  at  one  time,  so  ignorant  of  the  true  de- 
sign of  his  incarnation,  that  he  was  angry  and  impatient 
to  hear  him  speak  of  his  sufferings,  and  brought  upon 
himself  a  most  severe  rebuke.     Not  content  with  the 
ordinary  services  allotted  to  him,  he  offered  himself  to 
unnecessary  trials,    as  in  the  above  instance,  when   he 
pressed  to  walk  upon  the    water.     The  event  showed 
him  his  own   weakness  and   insufficiency,  yet  his  self- 
confidence  revived  and   continued.     When  our  Lord 
warned  him  again  and  again  of  his  approaching  fall,  he 
thought  and  boldly  affirmed  that  it  was  impossible. — 
He  was  sincere  in  his  protestation,  but  the  actual  ex- 
periment was  necessary  to  convince  and  humble  him ; 
accordingly,  when  left  to  himself,  he  fell  before  the  first 
temptation.     And  here  the   impetuosity  of  his  temper 
was  still  manifest.     He  did  not  stop  at  a  simple  denial 
of  Jesus,  he  confirmed  it  by  an  oath*,  and  at  leuL^th, 
proceeded  to  utter  bitter  imprecations  against  himself,  if 

*  Mark  xiv.  71.  "  He  began  to  curse  and  swear."  AvaSs/xar*- 
^Hv — to  imprecate  the  most  dreadful  curses  upon  himself,  and 
call  solemnly  on  God  to  execute  them.  This  was,  indeed,  the 
most  probable  method  to  free  himself  from  the  suspicion  of  be- 
ing a  disciple  of  Jesus,  for  no  such  language  had  been,  till  then, 
heard  among  his  followers. 

Vol.  IIL  K 


A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  I, 

he  so  much  as  knew  him,  whom  he  had  seen  transfigur- 
ed in  glory  upon  the  mount,  and  prostrate  in  an  agony 
in  the  garden.  Such  was  the  weakness  and  inconsist- 
ence of  this  prince  of  the  apostles. 

None  of  these  excesses  appeared  in  the  conduct  of 
the  traitor  Judas.  He  was  so  circumspect  and  reserv- 
ed that  we  do  not  find  any  of  the  disciples  had  the  least 
suspicion  of  him.  But,  whilst  his  heart  was  full  of 
wickedness,  he  could  find  fault  with  others,  and  charge 
their  best  expressions  of  love  with  indiscretion.  When 
Mary  anointed  our  Lord's  feet  with  ointment*,  he  was 
displeased  at  the  waste,  and  professed  a  warm  concern 
for  the  poor ;  but  we  are  told  the  true  reason  of  his 
economy  :  it  was  not  because  he  cared  for  the  poor,  but 
because  he  was  a  thief,  and  had  the  bag,  which  con- 
tained the  common  stock,  intrusted  to  him.  The 
charge  of  the  bag  is  an  office  full  of  temptation;  and  an 
attachment  to  the  bag  has  been  often  at  the  bottom  of 
many  censures  and  misrepresentations  which  have  been 
thrown  out  against  the  people  of  God.  It  has  been, 
and  it  will  be  so ;  but  the  Lord  has  appointed,  that 
wherever  the  Gospel  should  be  preached  to  the  end  Of 
the  world,  this  action  of  IMary,  with  the  observation  of 
Judas  upon  it,  and  the  motive  frooi  which  he  made  it,, 
should  be  handed  down  together,  that  we  may  not  be 
discouraiicd  at  thino;s  of  the  same  kind.  Without 
doubt,  tlie  treason  of  Judas  and  his  unhappy  end,  after 
having  maintained  a  fair  character  so  long,  and  shared 
with  the  rest  in  the  honours  of  the  apostleship,  were  to 
them  an  occasion  of  grief,  and  afforded  their  enemies 
a  subject  of  reproach  and  triumph.  But  we  may  be- 
lieve one  reason  why  our  Lord  chose  Judas,  and  con- 
tinued him  so  long  with  his  disciples,   to  have  been 

*  John  xii.  5,  6. 


Chap.  4.        A  Reotew  of  Ecclesiastical  Historf/.  67 

that  we  might  learn  by  this  awful  instance  not  to  be 
surprised  if  some,  who  have  made  a  show  in  the  church, 
been  chosen  to  important  offices,  and  furnished  with  ex- 
cellent gifts,  do,  in  the  end,  prove  hypocrites  and  trai- 
tors :  "  Let  him  that  thinketh  he  standeth,  take  heed 
"  lest  he  fall." 

A  desire  of  pre-eminence  and  distinction  is  very  un- 
suitable to  the  followers  of  Jesus,  who  made  himself 
the  servant  of  all ;  very  unbecoming  the  best  of  the 
children  of  men,  who  owe  their  breath  to  the  mercy  of 
God,  have  nothing  that  they  can  call  their  own,  and 
have  been  unfaithful  in  the  improvement  of  every  ta- 
lent. We  allow  that  every  appearance  of  this  is  a  ble- 
mish in  the  Christian  character,  and  especially  in  a 
Christian  minister ;  but  if,  on  some  occasion,  and  in 
some  degree,  human  infirmity  has  wrought  this  way, 
though  no  example  can  justify  it,  yet  those  who 
through  ignorance  of  their  own  hearts,  are  too  rigid 
censurers  of  others,  may  be  reminded,  that  this  evil  fre- 
quently discovered  itself  in  the  apostles.  They  often 
disputed  who  should  be  the  greatest ;  and  when  our 
Lord  was  speaking  of  his  approaching  sufferings,  two 
of  them  chose  that  unseasonable  time  to  preclude  the 
rest,  and  petitioned  that  they  might  have  the  chief  seats 
in  his  kingdom.  The  first  offence  was  theirs ;  but  when 
the  ten  heard  it,  they  were  all  moved  with  indignation, 
and  showed  themselves  equally  desirous  of  superioritv. 
It  is  plain,  therefore,  that,  unless  the  apostles  were  hy- 
pocrites and  mercenaries,  some  transient  escapes  of  this 
sort,  (though  confessedly  criminal  and  indecent,)  are  no 
sure  proofs  that  such  a  person  is  not  in  the  main  sin- 
cere, disinterested,  and  truly  devoted  to  the  service  of 
God  and  his  Gospel. 

No  less  contrary  to  the  meek  and  gracious  spirit  of 


68  A  Ret^ieiv  of  Ecclesiastical  History/,  Book  I. 

Jesus,  is  an  angry  zeal,  expressing  itself  in  terms  of 
ill  will  and  bitterness  to  those  who  oppose  or  injure  us. 
One  of  the  highest  attainments  and  brightest  evidences 
of  true  grace,  is,  from  a  sense  of  the  love  and  example 
of  Christ,  to  show  bowels  of  mercy  and  long-suffering 
to  all  men,  and,  by  perseverance  in  well-doing,  to  over- 
come evil  with  good.  And  a  contrary  behaviour,  (if 
frequent  and  notorious,)  will,  like  a  dead  fly  in  precious 
ointment,  destroy  its  savour,  if  not  the  efficacy,  of  all 
we  can  attempt  for  the  service  of  God  in  the  world. 
However,  if  repeated  falsehoods  and  studied  provoca- 
tions do  sometimes,  in  an  unguarded  momt  nt,  extort 
from  the  disciples  of  Christ  such  expressions  and  marks 
of  displeasure,  as  in  their  cooler  hours  they  willingly 
retract  and  sincerely  repent  of  before  God  ;  this  ought 
not  to  be  exaggerated  beyond  bounds,  as  an  offence  in- 
consistent with  their  profession ;  at  least,  not  by  any 
who  would  be  afraid  to  speak  dishonourably  of  the 
apostles  James  and  John,  who  once  went  so  far  in 
their  anger  *  as  to  demand,  that  fire  might  be  sent  from 
heaven  to  devour  their  adversaries. 

We  might  proceed  to  other  particulars ;  but  enough 
has  been  said,  to  show  the  general  resemblance  Mhich  the 

*  Luke  ix.  54.  They  thought  they  were  influenced  by  a  com- 
tnendable  zeal  for  their  Master,  and  that  their  proposal  was  war- 
ranted by  an  authorized  precedent.  We  do  not  find  that  they  ever 
wished  for  fire  to  consume  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  who  were 
Christ's  most  inveterate  enemies.  But  when  the  Samaritans 
rejected  him,  the  vile  Samaritans,  whom  they,  upon  a  national 
prejudice,  had  been  accustomed  to  hate  ;  then  their  hearts  de- 
ceived them,  and  they  indulged  their  own  corrupt  passions, 
while  they  supposed  they  were  animated  by  a  zeal  for  Christ. 
Are  we  not  often  deceived  in  the  same  way  ?  Can  we  not  silent- 
ly bear,  or  ingenuously  extenuate,  the  faults  and  mistakes  of  our 
own  p^rty,  while  we  are  all  zeal  and  emotion,  to  expose,  cen- 
sure, and  condemn,  what  is  amiss  in  others  ? 


Cfiap.  4.  A  Reincw  of  Ecclesiastical  Histori/.  6D 

preachincT  of  the  Gospel  in  later  times  bears  to  our 
Lord's  personal  ministry.  The  doctrine  is  the  same,  the 
effects  the  same.  It  was,  and  it  is,  to  many,  "a  stone 
"  of  stumbling,  and  a  rock  of  defence,"  The  opposi- 
tion it  has  met  with  has  been  always  owing  to  the  same 
evil  principles  of  pride  and  the  love  of  sin,  which  are 
latent  in  every  unrenewed  heart:  though  the  pretexts 
are  various,  they  may  be  reduced  to  a  few  leading  mo- 
tives, which  are  always  at  work.  The  professors  of 
this  Gospel  have  at  no  time  been  very  numerous,  if 
compared  with  those  who  have  rejected  it ;  and  of  these 
too  many  have  dishonoured  or  forsaken  it:  neither  have 
those  who  have  received  it  most  cordially,  and  been 
most  desirous  to  adorn  and  promote  it,  been  wholly 
exempt  from  mistakes  and  imperfections.  The  tenour 
of  their  conduct  has  proved  them  partakers  of  a  more 
excellent  spirit  than  others  ;  their  faith  in  Jesus  has  not 
been  an  empty  notion,  but  fruitful  of  good  works,  such 
as  no  man  could  do  except  God  was  uith  him.  They 
have  been  governed  by  higher  motives,  and  devoted  to 
nobler  aims,  than  the  world  can  either  understand  or 
bear ;  \'et  they  are  deeply  conscious  of  inherent  infir- 
mity, and  sometimes,  to  their  great  grief,  they  give  too 
visible  proofs  of  it,  which  their  watchful  adversaries  are 
glad  to  aggravate,  and  charjze  upon  them  as  conse- 
quences of  their  doctrine.  This  should  induce  all  who 
love  the  Lord  Jesus  to  redouble  their  guard,  and  to 
pray  with  David  that  they  may  be  led  in  the  right  way 
because  of  their  observers.  If  the  question  is  concern- 
ing the  infirmities  or  even  the  vices  of  others,  almost 
every  one  is  ready  to  plead  in  their  behalf;  allowances 
are  freely  and  largely  made  for  human  frailty,  and  none 
are  williniz;  to  be  thouijht  harsh  or  censorious.  But  the 
believer  in  Jesus  must  look  lor  no  abatement  or  cxtenu- 


70  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  Book  I. 

ation;  even  the  professed  admirers  of  candour  and  cha- 
rity will  not  hesitate  to  put  the  worst  construction  upon 
all  he  says  or  does ;  for  they  are  seeking  occasion  to 
wound  the  Gospel  through  his  misconduct.  They  are 
sensible  that  he  is  generally  above  them,  and  therefore 
rejoice  to  find,  or  pretend,  a  flaw,  on  which  they  may 
expatiate,  to  reduce  him  as  near  as  possible  to  their  own 
level.  Though,  if  their  censures  are  extended  to  their 
just  consequence,  they  will,  (as  we  have  seen,)  fall  hard 
upon  the  apostles  themselves. 

I  hope  that  what  I  have  said  upon  this  subject  will 
neither  he  misunderstood  nor  perverted.  We  do  not  de- 
fend even  the  infirmities  of  the  best  men ;  much  less 
would  we  provide  a  plea  for  persecution  or  ambition. 
Let  not  the  man  who  supposes  gain  to  be  godliness, 
who  makes  the  Gospel  a  ladder  whereby  to  climb  the 
heights  of  worldly  preferment,  whose  heart,  like  the  in- 
satiable fire,  is  craving  more,  and  practising  every  art  to 
accumulate  wealth  and  honour  in  the  church ;  let  not 
the  proud  man,  who  would  lord  it  over  conscience,  and, 
though  unable  tocommandfire  from  heaven,  would  glad- 
ly prepare  fire  and  slaughter  upon  earth  for  all  who  will 
not  venture  their  souls  upon  his  faith;  let  not  these  avail 
themselves  of  the  examples  of  James  and  John ;  but 
rather  let  them  tremble  at  the  reflection,  that,  while  tliey 
manifest  no  part  of  the  apostles'  graces,  they  are  entirely 
possessed  of  those  tempers,  the  smallest  traces  of  which 
cur  Lord  so  severely  rebuked  in  his  disciples. 

The  first  believers,  though  not  faultless,  were  sin- 
cere. The  natural  disposition  of  their  hearts  was 
c\ian2ed  ;  they  believed  in  Jesus,  they  loved  him,  they 
devoted  themselves  to  his  service,  they  submitted  to  his 
instructions,  shared  in  his  reproach,  and  could  not  be 
citiier  enticed  or  intimidated  to  leave  him.     Their  gra- 


Chap.  4.  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  71 

cious  Master  was  their  guide  and  guard,  their  advocate 
and  counsellor ;  when  they  were  in  want,  in  danger, 
in  trouble,  or  in  doubt,  they  applied  to  him,  and 
found  relief;  hence  they  learned,  by  degrees,  to  cast 
all  their  care  upon  him.  He  corrected  every  wrong 
disposition ;  he  pardoned  their  failings,  and  enabled 
them  to  do  better.  His  precepts  taught  them  true  wis- 
dom ;  and  his  own  example,  which,  to  those  who  loved 
him,  had  the  force  of  a  thousand  precepts,  was  at  once 
the  model  and  the  motive  of  their  obedience.  To  make 
them  ashamed  of  aspiring  to  be  chief,  he  himself,  though 
Lord  of  all,  conversed  among  them  as  a  servant,  and 
condescended  to  wash  their  feet.  To  teach  them  for- 
bearance and  gentleness  to  their  opposers,  they  saw  him 
weep  over  his  bitterest  enemies,  and  heard  him  pray 
for  his  actual  murderers. 

Thus  they  gradually  advanced  in  faith,  love,  and  ho- 
liness, as  the  experience  of  every  day  disclosed  to  them 
some  new  discovery  of  the  treasures  of  wisdom,  grace, 
and  power,  residing  in  their  Lord  and  Saviour.  He  ex- 
plained to  them  in  private  the  difficulties  which  occur- 
red in  his  more  public  discourses;  by  his  observations  on 
the  common  occurrences  of  life,  he  opened  to  them  the 
mysterious  volumes  of  creation  and  providence,  which 
none  but  those  whom  he  vouchsafes  to  teach  can  under- 
stand aright ;  he  prayed  for  them  and  with  them,  and 
taught  them  to  pray  for  themselves ;  he  revealed  unto 
them  the  unseen  realities  of  the  eternal  world,  and  sup- 
ported them  under  the  prospect  of  approaching  trials; 
particularly  of  his  departure  from  them,  by  assuring 
them  that  he  was  going  on  their  behalf,  to  prepare 
t^em  a  place  in  his  kingdom,  and  that,  in  a  little  tiaie, 
he  would  return  to  receive  them  to  himself,  that  tbey 
might  dwell  with  him  for  ever.    ■■ 


7^  A  Revieiu  of  Ecclesiastical  Hislonj.         Book  I. 

What  he  personally  spoke  to  them,  and  acted  in  their 
presence,  was  recorded  by  his  direction,  and  has  been 
preserved  by  his  providence  for  the  use  and  comfort  of 
his  church  :  though  his  enemies  have  raged  horribly, 
they  have  not  been  able  to  suppress  the  divine  volume ; 
and,  though  invisible  to  mortal  eyes,  he  is  still  near  to 
all  that  seek  him,  and  so  supplies  the  want  of  his  bodily 
presence  by  the  secret  communications  of  his  Spirit, 
that  his  people  have  no  reason  to  complain  of  any  dis- 
.  advantage.  Though  they  see  him  not,  they  believe,  love, 
rejoice,  and  obey  ;  their  attention  and  dependence  are 
fixed  upon  him;  they  intrust  him  with  all  their  concerns; 
they  rely  upon  his  promises ;  they  behold  him  as  their 
high  priest,  advocate,  and  shepherd;  they  live  upon  his 
fulness,  and  plead  his  righteousness,  and  they  find  and 
feel  that  their  reliance  is  not  in  vain. 

The  disciples  were  content,  for  his  sake,  to  bear  the 
scorn  and  injurious  treatment  of  the  world;  they  ex- 
pected no  better  usage,  nor  desired  a  higher  honour, 
than  to  be  fellow-sufterers  with  their  Lord.  "When  he 
prop'Osed  returning  to  Judea,  at  a  time  they  thought 
dauiierous,  and  they  could  not  alter  his  purpose,  they 
did  not  wish  to  be  left  behind ;  *'  Let  us  go,"  says  one 
of  tliem  to  the  rest,  "  that  we  may  die  with  him."  It 
is  t>:ue,  when  he  was  actually  apprehended,  the  first 
shock  of  the  trial  was  too  strong;  they  forsook  him  and 
tied..  He  permitted  this,  both  to  exempt  them  from 
danger,  and  to  let  them  know,  that  of  themselves  they 
cou'id  do  nothing.  But  it  seems,  they  did  not  go  far. 
When  Thomas  afterwards  said,  ."  Except  I  shall  see 
"  ii  I  his  hands  the  print  of  the  nails,  and  put  my  linger 
"  ii  ito  the  print  of  the  nails,  and  tlnust  my  hand  into  his 
"  si>de,  I  will  not  believe,"  he  spoke  like  one  who  had 
bet  n  an  eve- witness  to  his  sufferings,  and  expresses  an 


Chap.  4.        A  Nevieiv  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  7^ 

earnestness,  as  if  he  still  saw  him  wounded  and  bleeding. 
This  catastrophe,  indeed,  almost  disconcerted  them  ; 
they  had  trusted  it  was  he  that  should  deliver  Israel ; 
but  they  saw  him  oppressed  and  slain  by  wicked  men. 
From  that  time  to  his  resurrection  was  a  mournful  in- 
terval, the  darkest  and  most  distressing  period  his 
church  ever  knew. 

But  the  third  day  dispelled  their  grief;  he  returned 
victorious  from  the  grave,  proclaimed  peace  by  the 
blood  of  the  cross ;  he  declared,  (and  Ms  appearancQ 
proved  it,)  that  the  ransom  was  paid  and  accepted,  and 
that,  having  now  overcome  the  sharpness  of  death,  he 
had  opened  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  all  believers. 
Then  he  spoke  peace  to  their  hearts,  he  opened  their 
understandings  to  know  the  Scriptures,  and  breathed 
upon  them  his  Holy  Spirit ;  he  conversed  frequently 
with  them  during  forty  days,  gave  them  a  large  com- 
mission to  preach  his  Gospel,  and  an  invaluable  promise 
of  his  presence  with  them  to  the  end  of  the  world. 

When  he  had  thus  confirmed  them  by  those  instruc- 
tions and  assurances  which  his  wisdom  saw  necessary, 
he  was  received  up  to  heaven.  They  followed  him 
with  their  hearts  and  eyes  awhile,  and  then  returned 
to  Jerusalem  rejoicing.  They  were  not  ashamed  of 
their  crucified  Lord,  or  unwilling  to  bear  the  contempt 
tuous  names  of  Galileans  or  Nazarenes  for  his  sake. 
They  were  not  afraid,  as  if  left  like  sheep  without  a 
shepherd  in  the  midst  of  their  enemies.  They  knew 
that,  though  they  could  see  him  no  more,  his  eye  would 
be  always  upon  them,  and  his  ear  open  to  their  prayer. 
They  waited,  according  to  his  command,  for  a  further 
supply  of  his  Spirit,  to  qualify  them  for  the  important 
and  difficult  services  which  were  before  them.  Nor 
did  they  wait  long :    a  few  days  after  hi§  ascension, 

Vol.  III.  L 


74  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  I. 

while  they  were  praying  with  one  heart  and  mind,  the 
place  where  they  were  assembled  was  shaken  as  with  a 
mighty  wind  ;  the  Spirit  of  power  and  wisdom  was 
abundantly  commimicated  to  them  ;  they  spoke  with 
new  tongues,  and  immediately  began  to  preach  boldly 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

With  this  solemn  and  memorable  event,  I  shall  open 
the  second  book,  and  take  up  the  thread  of  the  Gospel 
History  from  that  glorious  day  of  Divine  Power.  The 
contents  of  this  first  book,  namely,  a  brief  view  of  the 
necessity  and  nature  of  the  Gospel-dispensation,  the 
causes  why  it  is  and  has  been  opposed,  and  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  ^ ''St  believers,  I  have  premised,  as 
general  principles,  for  my  own  and  the  reader's  assist- 
ance in  the  progress  of  this  work. 

It  is  much  to  be  wished,  that  every  reader  might  be 
impressed  with  the  importance  of  our  subject.  It  is 
not  a  point  of  curiosity,  but  of  universal  concern,  and 
that  in  the  highest  and  most  interesting  sense.  Most  of 
the  researches  and  disquisitions  which  employ  the  time 
and  talents  of  men,  are  of  a  trivial  or  indifferent  nature. 
We  may  range  on  different  sides  concerning  them;  we 
may  give,  or  refuse,  or  retract  our  assent,  when  and  as 
often  as  we  please.  We  may  be  totally  ignorant  of  them 
without  loss,  or  be  skilled  in  them  all  without  deriving 
any  solid  comfort  or  advantage  from  them.  But  the 
Gospel  of  Christ  is  not  like  the  dry  uninteresting; 
theories  of  human  wisdom ;  it  will  either  wound  or  heal, 
be  a  savour  of  life  or  of  death,  a  source  of  endless 
comfort,  or  the  occasion  of  aggravated  condemnation  to 
all  that  hear  of  it.  To  receive  it,  is  to  receive  the 
earnest  and  assurance  of  eternal  happiness ;  to  reject 
it,  or  remain  wilfully  ignorant  of  its  characters  and  pro- 
perties, will  leave  the  soul  oppressed  with  guilt,  and 


€Jiap.  4.        A  l^cviciV  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  75 

exposed  to  the  wrath  of  God  for  ever.  It  highly  con- 
cerns us,  therefore,  to  inquire,  whether  we  believe  th« 
Gospel  or  no ;  whether  what  we  call  the  Gospel,  is 
the  same  that  Christ  and  his  apostles  taught,  and  whe- 
ther it  has  had  the  same  or  similar  effects  upon  our 
hearts.  We  live  where  the  Gospel  is  generally  pro- 
fessed, and  we  are  reputed  Christians  from  our  cradles; 
but  the  word  of  God  cautions  us  to  take  heed  lest  we 
be  deceived.  We  see  Christianity  divided  into  innu- 
merable sects  and  parties,  each  supported  by  names, 
arguments,  and  books,  and  fighting  for  the  credit  of 
a  denomination.  But  how  many  forget,  that,  in  a 
little  time,  all  these  divisions  and  subdivisions  will  be 
reduced  to  two  ;  the  only  real  and  proper  distribution 
by  which  mankind,  (as  to  their  religious  character,) ever 
was  or  will  be  distinguished,  and  according  to  which 
their  final  states  will  be  speedily  decided — the  children 
of  God,  and  the  children  of  the  wicked  one. 


BOOK  II. 

OF  THE  SECOND  PERIOD  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 

That  I  may  neitlier  encumber  the  series  of  the  histoiy 
with  too  many  digressions,  nor  deprive  myself  of  the  op- 
portunity of  making  such  observations  as  the  subject  vrill 
suQTgest  conducive  to  our  main  design,  I  propose,  in  the 
first  chapter  of  this  and  the  succeeding  book,  to  give  a  suc-> 
cinct  view  of  the  progress  and  state  of  Christianity  during 
each  period ;  and  then,  by  way  of  Appendix,  to  add  one  or 
more  chapters,  (as  may  be  necessary,)  on  such  particulars  as 
are  of  more  immediate  application  to  the  circumstances  of 
our  own  times. 


Chap.].        ^  JRevieio  of  Ecclesiastical  Mitory.  ^7 


CHAPTER  I. 

Of  the  Progress  of  the  Gospel  from  our  LorcPs  Ascension  to 
the  close  of  the  first  Century. 

X  HE  natural  weakness  of  man  is  conspicuous  in  his 
most  important  undertakings  :  having  no  fund  of  suffi- 
ciency in  himself,  he  is  forced  to  collect  all  from  with- 
out ;  and  if  the  greatness  of  his  preparations  are  not 
answerable  to  the  extent  of  his  designs,  he  has  little 
hopes  of  success.  Further :  when  he  has  planned 
and  provided  to  the  utmost  of  his  power,  he  is  still 
subject  to  innumerable  contingences,  which  he  can 
neither  foresee  nor  prevent ;  and  has  often  the  mor- 
tification to  see  his  fairest  prospects  blasted,  and  the 
whole  apparatus  of  his  labour  and  care  only  contribute 
to  make  his  disappointment  more  conspicuous  and 
painful. 

The  reverse  of  this  is  the  character  of  the  wonder- 
working God.  To  his  power  every  thing  is  easy ; 
he  knows  how  to  employ  every  creature  and  contin- 
gence  as  a  means  to  accomplish  his  designs ;  not  a 
seeming  difficulty  can  intervene  but  by  his  permission, 
and  he  only  permits  it  to  illustrate  his  own  wisdom  and 
agency  in  making  it  subservient  to  his  will.  Thus,  hav- 
ing all  hearts  and  events  in  his  hands,  he  fulfils  his  own 
counsels  with  the  utmost  ease  and  certainty ;  and,  to 
show  that  the  work  is  his  own,  he  often  proceeds  by 
such  methods  as  vain  men  account  weak  and  insignifi- 
cant, producing  the  most  extensive  and  glorious  coh- 
sequences  from  small  and  inconsiderable  beginnings. 
Thus  the  Lord  of  hosts  hath  purposed  to  stain  the 
pride  of  human  glory. 


78  A  lievtew  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  II. 

This  observation  might  be  confirmed  by  innumerable 
examples  taken  from  the  common  history  and  experi- 
ence of  mankind  ;  but  the  subject  of  our  present  under- 
taking exhibits  the  most  illustrious  proof.  When  the 
Jews  had  seen  Jesus  crucified,  dead  and  buried,  they 
expected  to  hear  no  more  of  him.  His  disciples  were 
iew,  men  of  no  authority,  learning,  or  influence  ;  and 
since  their  Master,  who  had  made  them  such  large  pro- 
mises, was  at  last  unable  to  save  himself  from  death, 
it  was  probably  expected  that  his  followers  would  dis- 
perse of  course,  forsake  their  supposed  delusion,  and 
return  to  their  fishing,  and  other  employments  suited  to 
their  capacities  and  talents. 

They  knew  not  that  Jesus  had  arisen  from  the  dead, 
and  had  frequently  shown  himself  to  his  servants,  to 
comfort  and  confirm  their  hearts.  They  little  thought 
that  he,  whom  they  had  seen  expire  on  the  cross,  was 
immoveably  seated  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  possessed 
6f  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth ;  but  his  disciples 
knew  this,  and  therefore  continued  to  assemble  in  his 
name.  We  do  not  find  that  there  was  much  notice 
taken  of  them  till  the  feast  of  Pentecost,  which  was 
about  ten  days  after  his  ascension.  At  this  season*,  by 
the  Jewish  law,  the  first-fruits  of  the  earth  were  pre- 
sented at  the  temple  :  an  appointment,  typical  of  those 
more  sublime  first-fruits  of  spiritual  gifts  and  graces 
with  which  the  Lord  on  this  day  enriched  his  disciples, 
(according  to  his  promise,)  enabling  them  to  preach  his 
Gospel,  and  make  his  word  effectual  to  the  conversion 
of  a  large  multitude;  as  an  earnest  of  that  divine  power 

*  Tiberius,  a.  d.  33.  In  fixing  the  dates  of  our  history,  I  shall 
conform  to  what  I  think  the  most  probable  and  authorized  opi- 
nion, without  perplexing  either  myself  or  my  readers  with  the 
niceties  of  critical  chronology. 


Chap.  1.        A  Revieiv  of  Ecclesiastical  Histof If.  79 

by  which  he  would  support  and  extend  his  church  and 
ministry  to  the  end  of  the  world. 

When  the  hearts  of  God's  people  are  united  in  love, 
and  pleading  his  promises  in  the  fervent  exercise  of  faith 
and  prayer,  great  things  may  be  expected.  Such  was 
the  happy  state  of  his  disciples  on  this  solemn  day. 
They  were  assembled  with  one  accord ;  no  jars  or  divi- 
sions had  as  yet  taken  place  among  them ;  they  were 
animated  with  one  desire,  and  praying  with  one  mind; 
suddenly  and  wonderfully  they  obtained  an  answer : 
the  place  they  were  in  was  shaken  as  by  a  mighty  wind*; 
their  hearts  were  filled  with  the  powerful  energy  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  and  they  were  instantaneously  enabled  to 
speak  languages  which  till  then  they  were  unacquainted 
with.  These  inward  powers  were  accompanied  with  the 
visible  symbols  of  fiery  tongues,  which  sat  upon  each  of 
their  heads :  a  fit  emblem  both  of  the  new  faculties 
they  had  received,  and  of  the  conquering,  assimilating 
efficacy  of  the  Spirit  by  whom  they  spoke ;  whose  ope- 
rations, like  the  fire,  are  vehement,  penetrating,  trans- 
forming, and  diffusive  ;  spreading  from  heart  to  heart, 
from  place  to  place,  till  the  flame,  which  was  now  con- 
fined within  a  few  breasts,  was  communicated  to  many 
nations,  people,  and  languages. 

The  effects  of  this  divine  communication  were  imme- 
diately manifest :  they  were  filled  with  love,  joy,  and 
faith,  and  bagan  boldly  and  publicly  to  praise  God. 
Their  emotion  and  zeal  could  not  be  long  unnoticed : 
those  who  first  observed  it  spoke  of  it  to  others,  and  a 
rumour  was  spread  abroad,  Jerusalem  was  at  that 
time  the  occasional  resort  of  the  Jews  and  Jewish  pro- 
selytes, who  were   dispersed    throughout  the  known 

*  Acts  ii. 


80  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Histonj.         Book  11. 

world,  and  multitudes  had  come  from  different  coun- 
tries to  celebrate  the  feast.  The  promiscuous  throng, 
who  assembled  upon  the  report,  and  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  different  languages,  were  therefore  greatly 
astonished  to  hear  of  the  wonderful  works  of  God, 
every  man  in  his  own  tongue.  While  some  expressed 
their  surprise  at  this,  others  ascribed  it  to  the  effects  of 
wine,  and  showed  their  scorn  and  despite  to  the  Spirit 
of  grace,  by  reviling  the  apostles  as  drunkards.  Thus 
they  no  sooner  entered  upon  their  public  service,  than 
they  began  to  find  the  same  treatment  which  their  Lord 
had  met  with,  and  were  for  his  sake,  the  subjects  of 
calumny  and  derision.  This  is  a  remarkable  instance 
of  the  sagacity  and  temper  which  the  men  of  the  world 
discover  in  the  judgment  they  form  of  a  work  of  God ; 
nor  is  it  probable  that  our  modern  reasoners  would 
have  judged  more  favourably,  if  they  could  have  been 
present  at  such  a  scene,  where  several  persons  were 
speaking  loud  at  the  same  time,  and  each  in  a  different 
language ;  since  they  account  the  operations  of  the 
same  Spirit,  madness  and  folly,  even  where  they  are  not 
attended  with  such  extraordinary  circumstances. 

This  weak  and  perverse  slander  was  immediately  re- 
futed by  the  apostle  Peter,  who  addressed  the  people  in 
a  grave  and  solemn  discourse :  and  having,  in  few 
words,  explained  the  nature  of  the  fact,  and  shown 
that  it  was  an  accomplishment  of  ancient  prophecies, 
he  proceeded  to  apply  himself  more  closely  to  their 
consciences.  He  assured  them,  that  what  they  saw 
and  heard  was  wrought  by  the  power  of  Jesus  of  Na- 
zareth, whom  they  had  rejected  before  Pilate.  He  in- 
formed them  of  that  honour  and  glory  which  he  now 
possessed,  and  charged  them  as   accomplices  in  the 


CJiap.  I.         A  Eevtew  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  Si 

murder  of  a  person  whose  character  and  dignity  God 
had  vindicated,  by  raising  him  from  the  dead.  Though 
our  Saviour  had  but  few  disciples  during  his  personal 
ministry,  he  had  doubtless  left  a  deep  impression  of  his 
words  and  works  in  the  hearts  of  many.  This  discourse 
of  Peter  would  naturally  recall  him  to  the  remembrance 
of  those  who  had  seen  him  in  the  flesh,  and  lead  them  to 
reflect  how  earnestly  and  unjustly  they  had,  at  the  in- 
stigation of  their  priests,  compelled  Pilate  to  put  him 
to  death.  These  reflections,  the  closeness  of  Peter's 
address,  and  the  power  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  concurred 
to  uive  them  a  deep  conviction  of  their  sin.  They 
were  pierced  to  the  heart.  They  no  longer  wondered 
as  curious  spectators  ;  but  were  solicitous  for  them- 
selves, and  cried  out,  "  brethren,  what  shall  we  do  ?" 
Peter  then  proceeded  to  open  the  treasure  of  Gospel- 
grace,  and  to  direct  them  to  Jesus,  whom  they  had 
crucified  for  salvation.  The  effect  of  this  day's  preach- 
ing, (for  though  only  Peter  is  named,  it  is  probable  there 
were  more  than  one  preacher  or  one  discourse,)  was 
signally  happy.  Three  thousand  souls  were  converted, 
and,  professing  their  faith  and  repentance,  were,  by 
baptism,  publicly  joined  to  the  church. 

A  further  addition  was  soon  after  made.  Peter  and 
John*  having  recovered  a  man  from  incurable  lame- 
ness, by  faith  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  the  report  of  the 
miracle  brought  a  great  concourse  of  people  together 
a  second  time.  Peter  improved  the  occasion  to  preach 
to  them  at  the  temple  gate,  to  the  j^iirport  of  his  for- 
mer discourse.  He  had  an  attentive  auditory  ;  and  his 
word  was  made  effectual  to  the  conversion  of  many. 
But  by  this  time  the  enemies  of  Jesus  were  greatly 

*  Acts  iii. 

Vol.  in.  M 


§^  A  Review  of  Ecrlcsiaslical  Hist  or  i/.  Book  II. 

alarmed  at  the  progress  of  his  doctrine ;  and  having* 
notice  of  what  had  passed,  the  priests  and  Sadducees 
violently  apprehended  Peter,  with  John,  and  put  them 
in  prison.  He  had  not  finished  his  discourse,  but  hfi 
had  said  enough  to  be  remembered  ;  and  this  interrup- 
tion, with  the  boldness  of  his  following  defence,  made 
his  words  more  regarded.  The  next  day  they  >vere 
brought  before  the  high  priest,  rulers,  and  elders  ;  and 
being  asked  concerning  the  late  miracle,  Peter,  who 
once  had  trembled  at  the  voice  of  a  girl,  was  not  afraid 
to  use  the  utmost  freedom  and  plainness  with  the  coun- 
cil and  heads  of  the  Jewish  nation.  He  confessed  the 
name  and  cause  of  Jesus ;  reminded  them  of  their 
wickedness,  in  causing  him  to  be  crucified,  and,  in  di- 
rect answer  to  their  question,  assured  them  that  the 
miracle  was  wrought  in  his  name,  and  by  his  power. 
Tliough  the  council  were  highly  offended  with  this  lan- 
guage, and  the  more  so,  as  they  observed  the  persons 
w  ho  spoke  w  ere  private  and  unlettered  men ;  yet, 
being  unable  to  deny  the  fact,  (for  the  man  who  had 
l^een  lame  stood  before  them,)  and  unwilling  to  incur 
the  odium  of  punishing  an  action  they  were  ashamed  to 
disapprove,  they  dissembled  their  rage,  and  forbidding 
the  apostles  to  speak  any  more  to  the  people,  they  dis- 
missed them  :  yet  they  did  not  depart  until   they  had 

*  Acts  iv.  16,  17.  Many  consiiltULioriS  have  been  held,  and  de- 
vices fmmed,  to  stop  the  progress  of  the  Gospel  us  if  it  was  a 
dangerous  infection;  but  all  such  attempts  are  vain.  They  may 
as  easily  restrain  the  dawning  of  the  day  as  suppress  the  spread- 
ing of  the  Gospel,  when  the  Lord  is  pleased  to  raise  up  fit  instru- 
ments to  promote  it,  arid  to  vouchsafe  a  season  of  refreshment 
from  his  presence.  Then  its  influence  cannot  be  restrained,  a 
spark  becomes  a  flame,  a  little  one  a  multitude,  and  opposition 
onlv  makes  the  eiiects  ujore  visible  and  noticed. 


Cliap.  I.        A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Eistori/.  83 

protested  against  this  inhibition,  and  declared  their  re- 
solution to  obey  God  rather  than  man. 

The  believers,  though  numerous,  amounting  to  many 
thousands,  lived  in  harmony  and  love,  as  children  of 
one  family.  The  greater  part  of  them  were  poor  ; 
those  therefore,  who  had  estates  or  money,  willingly 
put  their  all  into  a  common  stock,  for  the  use  of  the 
whole,  which  was  intrusted  to  the  care  of  the  apostles. 
This  is  recorded  as  an  instance  of  the  benevolent  and 
disinterested  spirit  with  which  the  Gospel  inspired  them; 
but  is  not  enjoined  as  a  precedent  to  be  universally  ob- 
served, since  we  have  many  proofs  that  the  usual  dis- 
tinctions in  civil  life  were  retained  in  other  churches 
planted  by  the  apostles ;  and  it  soon  gave  occasion  to 
discover,  that  in  the  best  societies  there  may  be  found 
some  unworthy  intruders,  and  that  very  specious  actions 
may  be  performed  from  base  and  dishonourable  mo- 
tives. Even  under  this  richest  dispensation  of  grace, 
there  were  some  professors  influenced  by  no  higher 
niOtives  than  hypocrisy  and  vain  glory.  *  Ananias, 
with  his  wife  Sapphira,  attempted  to  impose  on  the 
apostles  by  a  concerted  lie,  and  would  have  had  the 
praise  of  giving  their  whole  substance,  when  their  ava- 
rice would  only  permit  them  to  spare  a  part.  As  a 
warning  to  all  pretenders  who  seek  to  join  or  serve  the 
church  from  sordid  and  selfish  views,  Peter,  by  the  di- 
rection of  the  Holy  Ghost,  denounced  a  severe  sen- 
tence against  this  unhappy  pair,  and  they  both  fell 
dead  ]'  at  his  feet.  The  cause  and  suddenness  of  their 
deatU  was  a  vindication  of  the  apostle's  integrity  and 

*  Acts  y. 

t  The  apostolic  censures  were  not  like  the  papal  anathemas, 
Aj-uta/ulmina,  words  without  effect ;  they  were  accomplished  in 
an  instant.     See  Acts  xiii.  11. 


84  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  IT. 

authority,  and  a  seasonable  admonition  to  others,  to 
deter  any  from  attemptinc;  to  associate  with  the  disci- 
ples who  were  not  in  heart  devoted  to  tlif;  Lord. 

The  numbers  of  the  believers  still  increased,  and  the 
report  of  the  apostles'  doctrine  and  miracles  extended 
from  Jerusalem  to  the  adjacent  parts.  The  priests 
and  Sadducees,  therefore,  soon  renewed  their  efforts  to 
suppress  them  :  they  apprehended  the  apostles  again, 
and  put  them  in  the  common  prison  as  malefactors ; 
"but  the  Lord,  to  confirm  the  faith  and  courage  of  his 
people,  and  to  show  how  easily  he  can  protect  those  who 
serve  him,  delivered  them  the  same  night  by  his  angel. 
In  the  morning,  when  their  enemies  were  met,  and 
commanded  them  to  be  brought  to  the  tribunal,  they 
■were  surprised  to  hear  that  the  prison  doors  were  found 
secure,  and  the  prisoners  all  escaped.  They  were, 
however,  soon  informed  that  they  were  not  gone  far, 
but  were  preaching  boldly  to  the  people,  (as  the  angel 
had  directed  them,)  regardless  of  their  adversaries'  de- 
signs against  them.  They  were  alarmed  at  this  notice, 
and  began  to  be  apprehensive  of  the  event*;  yet,  hur- 
ried on  by  their  enmity  to  Jesus  and  his  Gospel,  they 
once  more  sent  their  officers  to  take  them,  which  they 
attempted  in  the  mildest  manner  possible  ;  for,  as  the 
prosecution  was  groundless  and  malicious,  they  were 
not  without  fear  lest  the  multitude  should  interpose; 
but  they  had  to  do  with  the  followers  of  Jesus,  who 
would  countenance  no  tumult  in  their  own  favour,  and 
were  neither  afraid  nor  ashamed  to  confess  his  name  in 
the  face  of  danger.     The  apostles,  therefore,  peaceably 

*  Acts  V.  24.  It  is  not  only  a  fruitless,  but  a  very  uneasy  under- 
t&king,  to  fight  against  the  truth  and  those  who  profess  it.  The 
boldest  and  wisest  champions  in  this  desperate  cause  are  often 
brought  to  their  wits  ends,  and  to  foresee  their  own  disappoint-* 
ment, 


Chap.  1.         A  Revkxo  of  Ecclesiastical  History:  85 

yielded  themselves,  and  being  brought  before  the  coun- 
cil, were  severely  questioned  for  disregarding  the  late 
prohibition  they  had  received.  Peter  and  the  rest  an- 
swered with  their  usual  firmness  ;  they  avowed  the  fact, 
and  their  determination  to  persevere*,  and  charged 
them  as  the  betrayers  and  murderers  of  Jesus  in 
stronger  terms  than  before.  The  majority  of  the  coun- 
cil were  exceedingly  enraged  at  their  boldness ;  they 
were  cut  to  the  heart,  and  consulted  to  put  them  to 
death.  But  the  more  moderate  advice  of  Gamaliel 
prevailed:  he  showed  them,  from  some  recent  instances, 
that  if  this  new  sect  was  no  more  than  a  human  insti- 
tution, they  need  not  give  themselves  trouble  to  sup- 
press it,  for  it  would  soon  sink  and  disappear  of  itself; 
but  if  it  was  indeed  of  God,  their  opposition  would, be 
not  only  in  vain,  but,  in  effect,  a  rebellion  against  God 
himself;  he  therefore  recommended  milder  methods, 
and,  having  considerable  repute  among  then)  for  his  wis- 
dom, the  rest  assented  to  him.  In  this  manner  the 
Lord,  who  has  the  hearts  of  all  in  his  power,  delivered 
the  apostles  a  third  time,  by  raising  them  an  advocate 
from  amongst  their  enemies  ;  yet,  to  save  appearances, 
and  tiiat  it  might  not  be  thought  the  council  had  pro- 
ceeded so  far  without  good  cause,  they  were  not  dis- 
missed till  they  had  been  scourged,  and  again  enjoined 

*  Peter  and  the  apostles  answered,  "  We  ought  to  obey  God  ra- 
"  ther  than  men."  It  should  seem  that  this,  (if  any,)  may  be  call- 
ed a  natural  maxim,  and  that  the  rudest  savage,  or  the  least  child, 
that  can  be  made  to  understand  the  terms,  must  assent  to  the 
truth  of  the  proposition  as  readily  as  they  perceive  that  tiv^  and 
tvjo  make  four.  How  strange  then  is  it,  that  men  of  the  greatest 
parts  and  penetration  in  other  things  so  seldom  receive  it !  There 
are  few  periods  to  be  found,  even  in  the  Christian  church,  in 
which  those  who  steadily  acted  upon  this  principle  were  not  coi)> 
sidered  as  heretics  of  the  worst  kind. 


il$  A  Bevwiv  of  Ecclesiastical  Illslorij.         Book  tt) 

silenee.  They  departed,  rejoicing  that  they  had  the 
honour  to  suffer  disgrace  *  for  the  sake  of  Christ,  and 
returned  to  encourage  iheir  companions  ;  continuing 
still  publicly,  and  from  house  to  house,  to  teach  and 
preach  in  the  name  of  Jesus. 

f  These  were  happy  times,  when  the  whole  company 
of  the  faithful  viere  ot  one  heart  and  mind,  firmly  united 
in  affection,  sentiment,  ordinance,  and  practice.  Their 
adversaries,  though  angry,  and  desirous  to  injure  them, 
were  powerfully  restrained  by  the  Divine  Providence ; 
so  that  they  enjoyed  peace  in  the  midst  of  war,  and 
were  favoured  with  much  grace  in  their  hearts,  and  a 
daily  increase  in  their  numbers.  Yet  it  was  not  long 
before  an  occasion  arose  which  might  have  had  un- 
happy effects,  if  the  wisdom  and  authority  of  the  apos- 
tles had  not  provided  an  early  remedy.  The  church, 
as  yet,  consisted  only  of  Jewish  believers ;  but  these 
were  distinguished  into  Jews  properly  so  called,  that  is, 
natives  and  inhabitants  of  Judea ;  and  Hellenists  or 
Grecians,  the  name  givemto  those  of  the  Jewish  race 
and  profession  who  had  been  dispersed  and  settled  in 
the  heathen  countries.  Many  of  these,  as  has  been  ob- 
served, were  at  that  time  in  Jerusalem,  and  among  the 

*  Here  were  faith  ami  love  in  exercise  :  to  suffer  reproach  for 
Christ,  was,  in  their  esteem,  an  honour  and  privilege.  It  is 
mournful  to  observe  how  little  of  this  spirit  is  to  be  found  amongst 
us.  How  soon  are  we  offended  and  troubled  when  our  names 
are  reproached  ;  how  uneasy  to  lie  under  contempt ;  how  impa- 
tient to  justify  ourselves,  and  to  be  thought  well  of  by  all  persons! 
Far  from  accounting  it  an  honour  to  be  made  conformable  to  Je- 
sus in  this  respect,  we  feel  it  a  burden  Avhich  wc  are  restless  to 
•ohake  off;  yet  it  must  be  borne,  or  we  must  give  up  profession 
and  all ;  for  neither  are  our  characters  more  respectable  than 
the  first  Christians,  nor  is  the  world  better  reconciled  to  the 
things  of  God  now  than  it  was  then. 

t  Acts  vi. 


Chap.  J.  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  ^T 

first  converts  to  the  Gospel.  As  the  multitude  who 
were  supplied  out  of  the  common  stock  were  very  great, 
it  is  no  wonder  if  a  few  individuals  were  overlooked. 
Some  unavoidable  instances  of  this  sort  gave  rise  to  a 
complaint,  not  only  of  negligence,  but  partiality  in  the 
distribution  of  the  money ;  and  the  Hellenists,  or 
strangers,  thought  the  others  had  an  undue  preference 
sliown  them.  The  apostles,  though  upright  and  im- 
partial, were  unable  to  do  every  thing  themselves,  and 
therefore,  to  prevent  such  mistakes  and  suspicions,  and 
that  they  might  devote  their  whole  time  and  attention  to 
the  more  important  services  of  the  ministry,  they  en- 
tirely divested  themselves  of  the  pecuniary  charge;  and, 
by  their  advice,  seven  men  were  chosen,  on  whom,  by 
prayer  and  imposition  of  hands,  they  solemnly  de- 
volved this  trust.  Thus  the  office  of  deacons  was  in- 
stituted :  they  were  men  full  of  wisdom  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  to  them  the  care  of  the  public  money,  and 
the  support  of  the  poor,  was  peculiarly  confided. 
Sprue  of  them,  perhaps  all,  were  occasionally  preach- 
ers :  but  this  was  no  part  of  their  office  as  deacons. 
By  this  expedient  the  cause  of  murmuring  was  taken 
away,  and  the  peace  of  the  church  confirmed. 

Tiberius,  a.  d.  34.]  Thus  the  Gospel  flourished 
in  defiance  of  opposition.  The  Jews,  provoked  more 
and  more,  began  to  lose  all  patience ;  the  mild  coun- 
sels of  Gamaliel  could  no  longer  restrain  them,  but 
their  blinded  passions  hurried  them  to  the  last  extre- 
mities. Stephen,  one  of  the  seven  deacons  newly 
elected,  was  the  first  who  received  the  honour  and 
crown  of  martyrdom.  His  zeal  for  the  truth'did  not  be- 
gin with  his  new  office,  though  it  is  possible  his  under- 
taking that  charge  might  place  him  more  in  view,  and 
expose  him  more  immediately  to  persecution.    Promo- 


(B^  A  Revieiv  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  If. 

tions  in  the  world  are  attended  with  worldly  advanta- 
ges ;  but  such  promotions  in  the  church  as  are  agree- 
able to  the  Spirit  of  God,  will  rather  entitle  a  man  to 
a  larger  share  of  labours  and  sufferings,  and  the  pain- 
ful pre-eminence  of  standing  in  the  fore-front  of  the 
battle,  to  sustain  the  hottest  brunt  of  every  storm. 
Stephen  was  no  sooner  a  public  person  than  he  became 
the  mark  of  public  opposition.  At  first,  they  pretended 
to  dispute  with  him ;  but  when  they  were  unable  to  re- 
sist the  wisdom  and  spirit  by  which  he  spake,  they  had 
recourse  to  more  effectual  methods  to  silence  him;  they 
suborned  false  witnesses,  (a  main  instrument  of  persecu- 
tion,) against  him,  and  having  framed  such  an  accusa- 
tion as  was  most  likely  to  alarm  the  prejudice  and  in- 
flame the  rage  of  the  people,  they  brought  him  before 
the  council,  and  charged  him  that  he  had  spoken  blas- 
phemous words  against  Moses  and  against  God.  Ste- 
phen, though  alone,  and  unsupported,  in  the  midst  of 
furious  enemies,  appeared  firm  and  unmoved  as  a  rock 
in  the  midst  of  waves  ;  he  was  not  only  devoid  of  fear, 
but  filled  with  joy*;  tlie  testimony  of  a  good  con- 
science, the  honourof  suffering  for  his  Lord,  and  a  sense 
of  the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  his  heart,  not  only 
preserved  his  soul  in  peace,  but  spread  a  lustre  and 
glory  upon  his  countenance  ;  so  that  all  who  sat  in  the 
council,  looking  upon  him,  saw  his  idcc  as  it  had  been 
the  face  of  an  angel.  In  such  a  disposition,  he  thought 
it  not  worth  while  to  attempt  his  own  defence,  but  em- 
ployed the  whole  time  allotted  him  in  behalf  of  his  ad- 
versaries, that,  if  possible,  by  a  distinct  revievv  oi  God's 
dealing  with  their  nation,  and  thtir  behaviour  towards 
him,  he  might  engage  them  to  consider  tlieir  ways,  to 

*  Acts  vii. 


Cliap.   1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  89 

repent  and  believe  the  Gospel.  While  he  spake  of  the 
things  that  had  been  long  since  transacted ;  and  kept 
within  the  bounds  of  Moses,  David,  and  Solomon,  they 
had  patience  to  hear  him  ;  but  when  he  began  to  make 
application  to  themselves  with  that  warmth  and  plain- 
ness which  the  case  required,  they  could  hear  no  more ; 
his  words  cut  them  to  the  heart ;  they  no  longer  pre- 
served the  exterior  gravity  of  their  stations  and  charac- 
ters, but  gnashed  at  him  with  their  teeth,  as  though 
they  would  have  devoured  him  alive. 

But  vain  are  the  attempts  of  men  to  intimidate 
those  whom  the  Lord  is  pleased  to  comfort ;  he  is  al ; 
ways  near,  to  support  his  faithful  servants,  and  can  ma- 
nifest himself  in. a  way  which  the  world  knows  nothing 
of.  Such  a  seasonable  and  sufficient  discovery  he  made 
of  himself  to  Stephen.  As  he  looked  steadfastly  up  to 
heaven,  silently  appealing  from  the  injustice  of  his 
judges,  he  saw  the  heavens  opened,  and  Jesus  standing 
in  glory  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  as  attending  to  all 
that  passed,  and  ready  to  receive  him  to  himself  Trans- 
ported w ith  this  divine  assurance,  he  was  not  at  leisure 
to  drop  a  single  word  to  soften  his  incensed  enemies  : 
he  endeavoured  to  communicate  the  glorious  idea  with 
which  his  soul  was  filled,  and  without  regarding  the 
sure  consequences  of  such  a  declaration,  he  told  them 
plainly  what  he  saw.  This  determined  their  resolves. 
Hitherto  theyhad  been  willing  to  preserve  the  form,  at 
least,  of  a  judicial  process;  but  now,  renouncing  every 
restraint,  and  unmindful  of  their  late  acknowledgment 
to  Pilate,  that  it  was  not  lawful  for  them  to  put  any  man 
to  death,  they  stopped  their  ears,  to  shut  out  any  remon* 
strance  that  might  be  offered,  dragged  him  violently 
out  of  the  city,  and  stoned  him  to  death.     His  dying 

deportment,  which  showed  how  eminently  he  was  filled 
VeL.  III.  N 


90  A  /Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Hislori/.         Book.  U. 

with  the  spirit  of  Jesus,  whom  he  saw,  is  recorded  as 
a  fit  pattern  for  the  imitation  of  all  who  should  be  called 
to  suffer  for  the  truth  in  succeeding  times ;  he  kneeled 
down  with  the  sweetest  composure,  and  having  com- 
mitted his  departing  soul  into  his  Redeemer's  hands, 
his  only  remaining  concern  was  for  his  murderers,  and 
his  last  breath  was  a  prayer,  that  this  sin  might  not  be 
laid  to  their  charge.  Such  resolution  in  the  defence  of 
truth,  such  calmness  under  sufferings,  such  tenderness 
and  compassion  towards  those  who  oppose,  are  the 
surest  marks  of  a  high  attainment  in  Christianity. 

The  death  of  Stephen,  far  from  satiating  the  rage  of 
the  rulers*,  rather  animated  and  excited  them  to  new- 
mischief;  they  observed  no  further  measures,  but  gave 
full  vent  to  their  cruelty,  and  raised  a  general  persecu- 
tion against  the  church.  A  young  man,  named  Saul, 
whom  the  Lord,  from  before  his  birth,  had  designed  for 
a  nobler  service,  w  as  at  this  time  one  of  their  most  zeal 
ous  and  active  instruments ;  he  had  been  a  consenting 
$pectator  of  Stephen's  death,  and  kept  the  raiment  of 
those  that  slew  him.  Encouraged  by  their  example,  he 
soon  entered  upon  action  himself,  and  made  havock  of 
the  church ;  forcibly  entering  into  their  houses,  and 
dragojing  many  to  prison,  both  men  and  women.  The 
disciples,  therefore,  according  to  their  Lord's  direc- 
tion!, gave  way  to  the  storm,  and  dispersed  themselves 
throughout  Judea  and  Samaria,  spreading  the  know- 
ledge of  the  Gospel  wherever  they  went.  Thus  the 
methods  taken  to  suppress  the  truth,  proved,  (as  they 
pften  have  since,)  the  means  of  promoting  its  pro- 
gress :  yet  the  Lord,  who  appoints  limits,  beyond 
which  the  fiercest  attempts  of  men  cannot  pass,  pre- 

*  Acts  vui.  +  Matlh.  x.  :3. 


Chap.  1.         A  Revleio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  91 

served  the  apostles  in  safety  at  Jerusalem,  where  he  had 
further  occasion  for  their  service.  Amongst  the  many 
who  left  the  city  was  Philip,  another  of  the  deacons : 
he  preached  Christ  and  his  Gospel  in  Samaria,  per- 
formed many  cures  and  miracles  among  the  people,  and 
a  great  number  received  faith  and  were  baptized.  Here 
the  Gospel  triumphed  over  the  illusions  of  Simon,  sur- 
named  Magus,  or  the  Sorcerer,  who,  by  his  vain  arts 
and  arrogant  pretensions,  had  long  held  the  people  in 
subjection  and  astonishment ;  but  the  superior  power  of 
truth  dispelled  the  charm,  his  votaries  forsook  him,  and 
even  the  impostor  himself  was  so  far  convinced  that 
Philip  acted  by  that  divine  power  and  authority  to 
which  he  had  only  pretended,  that  he  professed  himself 
a  believer  likewise,  and  behaved  so  fairly,  that  Philip 
admitted  him  to  baptism,  without  suspicion;  but  when, 
soon  after,  Peter*  and  John  came  to  Samaria,  to  com- 
municate the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost  to  the  new  disci- 
ples, by  imposition  of  hands,  Simon  dicovered  his  true 
character,  he  offered  money  for  a  power  to  impart  the 
same  gifts  ;  a  proposal  which  showed  his  ignorance, 
wickedness,  and  ambition,  in  the  strongest  light,  and 
proved  him  an  entire  stranger  to  the  grace  of  God. — 
From  him  the  hateful  practice  of  merchandising  in  spi- 

*  Actsviii.  14.  They  sent  Peter  and  John.  We  find  nothing 
in  this  book  to  countenance  the  pre-eminence,  which  the  Papists 
usci'ibe  to  Peter  ;  he  and  John  were  deputed  by  all  the  apostles, 
and  went  upon  equal  terms  ;  Peter  did  not  send  John,  nor  go 
himself,  without  the  advice  and  direction  of  the  rest.  John  had 
once  desii'ed  to  call  for  fire  from  heaven  upon  the  Samaritans, 
but  he  was  now  better  instructed,  and  gladly  went  to  impart  to 
them  the  best  gifts  he  could  bestow.  If  the  Lord  is  pleased  to 
make  any  partakers  of  the  same  precious  faith  with  ourselves, 
though  they  Avere  once  enemies,  we^should  gladly  forget  all  that 
is  past,  and  receive  them  as  dear  brethren  and  intimate  friends: 


©2  A  l^evieu)  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  II. 

ritual  concerns  has  derived  the  name  of  Simony ;  a 
crime  which,  though  condemned  by  the  lavis  of  every 
Christian  country  as  highly  injurious  and*  reproachful 
to  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  no  laws  or  obligations  have 
hitherto  been  able  to  suppress.  Peter  severely  rebuked 
his  hypocrisy,  yet  exhorted  him  to  repentance  and 
prayer.  His  words  seemed  to  have  some  weight  with 
Simon  for  the  present ;  but  we  hear  no  more  of  him 
among  the  believers  :  on  the  contrary,  he  is  recorded 
in  history  as  an  inveterate  enemy  to  the  faith  and 
purity  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  author  of  those  wild,  ab- 
surd, and  impure  heresies,  which  disturbed  the  first 
ages  of  the  church. 

About  this  time,  an  eunuch,  or  great  officer,  of  Can- 
dace,  queen  of  Ethiopia,  who  had  been  worshipping  at 
Jerusalem,  (which  makes  it  propable  that  he  was  a  pro- 
selyte to  the  faith  of  the  God  of  Israel,)  was  returning 
homeward.  Though  this  nobleman  had  been  at  Jeru- 
salem, he  had  either  not  heard  of  the  apostles  and  their 
new  doctrines,  or,  being  influenced  by  the  priests  and 
rulers,  had  not  thought  them  worthy  his  notice.  He 
was  going  home  ignorant  as  he  came ;  but  the  Lord, 
who  is  mindful  of  his  people  when  they  think  not  of 
him,  appoints  the  time  and  the  means  of  bringing  them 

*  In  these  abuses  the  church  of  Rome  seems  to  derive  rather 
from  Simon  Magus  than  from  Simon  Peter  ;  yet  it  is  to  be  wish- 
ed such  practices  were  confined  to  the  church  of  Rome  only. 
Our  laws  have  guarded  against  them  by  a  very  solemn  and  cir- 
cumstantial oath  ;  but  that  this  oath,  if  not  literally  broken,  is 
often  scandalously  evaded,  we  need  no  other  proof  than  the 
shameful  advertisements  which  frequently  appear  in  our  public 
papers  :  not  to  say  that  though  there  is  no  money  in  the  case,  yet 
all  presentations,  exchanges,  and  advancements,  that  are  trans- 
acted upon  interested  views,  are  so  far  simoniacal  in  the  sight 
of  him  who  judges  the  heart. 


Chap.  1.  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  SS 

to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth ;  and  these  are  often 
seemingly  precarious  and  contingent,  that  the  work 
may  more  clearly  be  known  to  be  his,  and  the  praise 
ascribed  to  his  power  and  providence.  Philip,  by  the 
direction  of  an  angel,  intercepted  the  Ethiopian  upon 
the  road.  He  found  him  well  employed,  reading  the 
prophet  Isaiah,  as  he  sat  in  his  chariot :  he  had  a  very 
confused  idea  of  the  passage  he  was  reading  ;  but  he 
knew  it  contained  an  important  meaning,  and  was  de- 
sirous to  discover  it.  Those  who  have  a  just  sense  of 
the  excellence  of  the  scripture,  and  peruse  it,  as  he 
did,  with  a  sincere  intention  to  be  instructed  by  it,  may 
be  encouraged  from  this  instance  to  persevere,  though 
they  find  it  at  present  hard  to  be  understood  :  he  who 
gave  them  the  desire,  will,  in  due  time,  provide  them 
a  teacher,  and  make  dark  things  plain  to  them.  When 
Philip  drew  near,  and  asked  him,  without  ceremony,  if 
he  understood  what  he  read,  he  was  not  offended  with 
the  abruptness  of  his  address,  but  courteously  invited 
him  to  sit  with  him,  confessing  his  ignorance,  and  the 
need  he  had  of  assistance.  The  passage  which  had 
perplexed  him  afforded  Philip  a  fair  opportunity  of 
preaching  Jesus  :  the  eunuch  believed,  and  was  bap- 
tized in  a  water  they  were  passing  by.  In  this  case 
there  seems  to  have  been  no  exertion  of  an  outward  mi- 
racle to  confirm  the  word,  nor  was  it  necessary ;  the 
manner  of  Philip's  meeting  with  him,  the  suitableness 
of  the  question  to  the  dubious  state  of  his  mind,  and 
the  discovery  he  obtained,  that  the  prophetical  marks 
of  the  Messiah  exactly  coincided  with  the  history  of  Je- 
sus, afforded  him  sufticient  evidence.  The  only  extra- 
ordinary circumstance  was  the  sudden  disappearing  of 
Philip,  >\ho,  having  performed  his  service,  was  re- 
moved by  the  Spirit  to  Azotus,  a  place  thirty  miles  di- 


94  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Hhtoary.         Book  II. 

stant;  from  whence  proceeding  along  the  sea  coast,  he 
preached  at  Joppa,  Lydia,  and  all  the  intermediate 
places,  till  he  came  to  Cesarea.  In  the  mean  time  the 
eunuch,  rejoicing  in  the  Lord's  goodness,  pursued  his 
journey  to  Ethiopia.  We  have  no  further  account  of 
him  in  the  New  Testament ;  but  some  ancient  writers 
assure  us,  that  he  was  the  means  of  propagating  the 
faith  which  he  had  received,  first  in  his  own  country, 
and  afterwards  in  places  still  more  remote. 

Tiberius,  a.  d.  "^5?^  The  church  having  suffered 
much  from  the  violence  of  the  persecution,  the  Lord 
was  pleased  to  afford  them  intermission,  and  to  give  a 
remarkable*  proof  of  the  power  of  his  grace,  by  the 
conversion  of  Saul,  one  of  their  fiercest  opposers.  He 
had  been  educated  a  Pharisee,  in  a  zealous  attachment 
to  the  law,  and,  from  a  mistaken  princple  of  conscience, 
thought  it  his  duty  to  suppress  the  followers  of  Jesus. 
The  warmth  of  his  temper  prompted  him  to  uncommon 
earnestness  against  them,  and  as  he  was  a  young  man, 
he  was  probably  further  instigated  by  a  desire  to  ingra- 
tiate himself  with  the  Jewish  rulers.  Not  content  with 
the  mischief  he  had  done  at  Jerusalem,  he  still  breathed 
out  threatnings  and  slaughter  against  them,  and  medi- 
tated their  destruction,  even  in  distant  places.  With 
this  view,  he  obtained  letters  of  authority  from  the 
chief  priests,  and  set  out  for  Damascus,  that,  if  he 
found  any  disciples  there,  he  might  bring  them  bound 
with  him  to  Jerusalem.  Little  was  he  aware  of  the 
event  of  his  journey  !  Little  did  the  believers  imagine 
that  the  man  who  now  thirsted  for  their  blood  would 
soon  be  their  companion  and  leader !  The  Lord  often 
permits  those  to  whom  he  shows  mercy  to  run  great 

*  Acts  ix. 


Chap.  1.         A  Repieiv  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  9$' 

previous  lengths  in  their  obstinacy  and  ignorance:  their 
subsequent  change  is  hereby  more  noticed  ;  the  riches 
of  his  grace  are  more  remarkably  exemplified  for  the 
encouragement  of  others ;    and  such  persons,  from  a 
lively  sense  of  their  past  wickedness,  and   the   unde- 
served favour   they  have  received,  are  usually  more 
strongly  impressed  with  a  sense   of  divine  love,  and 
more  warmly  devoted  to  his  service.     Some  such  there 
have  been  in  every  period  of  the  church,  and  especi- 
ally whenever  there  has  been  a  remarkable  revival  of 
the  power  of  godliness.     When  Saul  was  drawing  near 
to  Damascus,   perhaps  within  sight  of  the  city,  anti- 
cipating his   bloody  designs,   and  exulting  in  thought 
over  the   defenceless    sheep  of  Christ,  whom  he  had 
been  taught  to  consider  as  schismatics  and  heretics, 
who  deserved  to  be  extirpated  from  the  face  of  the 
earth,  he  was  suddenly  surrounded  by  a  glorious  light, 
exceeding  the  brightness  of  the  mid-day  sun,  and  heard 
a  voice,  not  of  uncertain  application,  but  expostulating 
with  him,  by  name,  "  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest  thou 
"  me?"    If  he  was  alarmed  at  the  question,  he  was 
juuch  more  so,  when,  upon  asking,   "  Who  art  thou, 
"  Lord?"  he  was  answered,  "I  am  Jesus  the*  Naza- 
"  rene,  whom  thou  persecutest."    So  nearly  is  the  Lord 
interested  in  his  people,  and  so  dangerous  is  it  to  injure 
them :    he  accounts  their  cause,  their  sufferings,  theii* 
enemies,  his  own.     The   Nazarene  was  an  epithet  of 
contempt  affixed  to  the  name  of  Jesus  by  those  who- 
hated  "j"  him;  and  it  is  probable   that  Saul  had  often 
spoke  of  him  in  these  terms :  but  now  he  found  him- 

*  This  is  the  exact  import  of  the  Greek,  l»)£r»;<)N«^«p«^oj,  Acts 
xxii.  8. 

t  And  for  this  reason  inserted  in  the  title  which  Pilate  put 
«ver  his  cross. 


90  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Misiory.         Book  11. 

self  in  the  Nazarene's  power,  and  unable  either  to 
escape  or  to  plead ;  he  fell  to  the  earth,  trembling  and 
astonished  beyond  expression ;  he  not  only  heard  his 
voice,  but  saw  his  *  person  ;  an  interview  which  he 
could  not  have  sustained  a  moment,  if  the  glory  of  Jesus 
had  not  been  tempered  with  the  milder  beams  of  grace 
and  love.  The  Lord  spared  him,  accepted  his  feeble 
surrender  of  himself,  moderated  his  fears,  and  dismiss- 
ed him  to  Damascus,  as  a  willing  trophy  of  his  victo- 
rious grace,  and  a  singular  instance  how  easily  he  can 
subdue  the  hardest  hearts  to  himself  The  brightness 
of  the  vision  had  overpowered  his  bodily  eyes,  so  that 
he  was  led  by  the  hand  ;  but  the  eyes  of  his  mind  were 
opened  ;  his  heart,  his  aims  were  changed  ;  he  was  be- 
come a  new  man  ;  and,  instead  of  threatenings  and 
slaughter,  he  now  breathed  prayer  and  devotion  to  Je- 
sus, and  love  to  his  people.  He  remained  at  Damas- 
cus three  days  without  sight  or  food  ;  but  the  Lord  re- 
membered his  distress,  and  sent  to  him  a  disciple, 
named  Ananias,  who,  from  the  character  he  had  heard 
of  him,  was  at  first  greatly  surprised  at  the  command 
he  received  to  go  to  such  a  person  ;  but  the  Lord  eon- 
descended  to  acquaint  him  that  Saul  was  a  chosen  in- 
strument, whom  he  had  appointed  to  do  and  suffer  great 
things  for  his  sake.  When  Ananias  laid  his  hands  on 
him,  a  thick  film,  resembling  scales,  fell  from  his  eyes ; 
his  sight  was  restored,  his  mind  composed,  and  he  was 
immediately  baptized.  Saul  had  several  companions 
with  him  in  his  journey,  who  saw  the  dazzling  light, 
heard  the  sound  of  the  voice  which  spoke  to  him,  and 
fell  to  the  ground,  with  surprise,  as  he  did ;  they  knew 
enough  of  the  circumstances  of  the  case  to  witness  for 

*  Acts  ix.  27. ;   1  Cor.  xv.  9. 


Chap.  1.        A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  ^ 

him,  that  he  neither  imposed  upon  others  nor  himself; 
but  we  have  no  account  that  any  of  them  were  con- 
verted ;  the  most  extraordinary  occurrences  being  insuf- 
ficient to  change  the  heart,  without  the  interposition  of 
divine  grace. 

Thus  the  late  persecutincp  Saul  was  numbered  with- 
the  disciples,  and  soon  distinguished  himself  among 
them.  He  now  knew,  by  experience,  the  wickedness 
and  danger  of  opposing  the  Gospel,  and  was  desirous 
to  repair  the  mischief  of  his  former  rage  and  ill  ex- 
ample. A  sense  of  the  mercy  he  had  received,  and 
compassion  for  the  souls  of  others,  made  him  seek  every 
opportunity  to  persuade  and  convince  the  Jews,  his 
former  companions  and  brethren;  but  he  soon  found 
the  same  treatment  from  them  which  he  himself  had 
often  offered  to  the  disciples.  They  opposed  and  vilified 
him  as  an  apostate,  and  at  length  consulted  to  kill 
him:  his  former  zeal  in  their  cause  was  forgot,  or,  if 
remembered,  it  was  an  argument  suited  to  inflame  their 
resentment.  But  no  counsel  can  prevail  against  those 
whom  the  Lord  protects.  Saul  had  timely  notice  of 
their  designs,  and,  because  they  watched  the  gates  of 
the  city  incessantly,  he  was  let  down  by  a  basket*  over 
the  wall;  for,  though  he  neitheir  distrusted  his  cause  nor 
his  protector,  he  was  not  unmindful  to  employ  prudent 
means  for  his  preservation.  But  before  this,  he  had 
made  some  excursions  from  Damascus,  and  visited 
Arabia ;  for  his  own  words  assure  us,  that  it  was  not 

*  2  Cor.  xi.  33.  "  Through  a  window,  in  a  basket,  was  I  let 
"  down  by  the  wall."  The  Lord  often  confounds  the  pride  of  his 
enemies  by  the  manner  in  which  he  delivers  his  servants  :  he 
permits  violent  oppositions  and  great  preparations  to  be  made 
against  them,  and -then  disconcerts  the  coiabinations  of  the  7nany^ 
and  the  mighty,  by  feeble  and  unthought-of  means. 

Vol.  III.  O 


98  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  "Histonj.        Book  II. 

till  the  third  year  after  his  conversion  that  he  returned 
to  Jerusalem.  In  this  interval  the  Lord,  who  had  ap- 
peared to  him  in  the  vi^^ay,  by  subsequent  revelations, 
fully  instructed  him  in  the  knowledge  of  his  will,  and 
qualified  him  for  the  apostolical  office  ;  so  that  he  could 
afterwards  sa}^,  that  he  received  neither  his  authority 
nor  his  information  from  men.  When  he  came  to 
Jerusalem  he  would  have  joined  himself  to  (he  disciples; 
but  they,  remembering  his  former  conduct,  and  not 
clearly  informed  of  the  manner  and  reality  of  his 
change,  were  at  first  afraid  of  him.  They  had  a  right 
to  be  satisfied  of  his  sincerity.  But,  being  soon  after- 
wards introduced  by  Barnabas,  he  related  to  them  the 
means  of  his  conversion,  and  the  occasion  of  his  leav- 
inrr  Damascus.  He  continued  for  some  time  in  Jeru- 
salem  and  the  neighbourhood,  preaching  and  disput- 
ing in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  The  Jews,  who 
hated  all  the  servants  of  Christ,  could  not  but  be  par- 
ticularly enraged  at  him,  who  had  forsaken  their  party  : 
against  him,  therefore,  they  chiefly  set  themselves,  and 
making  repeated  attempts  to  kill  him,  he  withdrew 
again  from  Judea,  and  went  through  Syria  to  Tarsus, 
in  Cilicia,  his  native  place. 

Caligula,    a.   d.    38.]    *Upon    his    recess,    the 
churches  in  Judea,  Samaria,  and  Galilee,  had  an  inter- 


*  The  churches  had  rest,  and  walked  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord  and 
the  comforts  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  were  edified  and  multiplied  ; 
Acts  ix.  31.  Some  well-meaning  persons  seem  to  forget  this  pas- 
sage, when  they  take  it  for  granted  that  the  work  of  God  cannot 
flourish,  except  there  is  a  violent  outward  opposition  against  it. 
The  world  will  dislike  the  Gospel ;  but  it  is  possible  in  some 
measui'e,  to  put  to  silence  the  ignorance  of  foolish  men  by  well- 
doing ;  and  the  Lord  can,  and  often  does,  favour  his  people  with 
peace,  and  put  their  enemies  under  restraint. 


Ghap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  99 

val  of  rest.  The  Jews  about  this  time  were  taken  up 
with  their  own  affairs.  Caligula,  who  had  lately  suc- 
ceeded Tiberius  in  the  empire,  presumed  to  arrogate 
divine  worship  to  himself,  and  commanded  altars  and 
temples  to  be  erected  to  his  honour.  He  was  readily 
obeyed  in  many  places  ;  but  when  he  required  his  sta- 
tue to  be  put  up  in  the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  the  Jewish 
nation  engaged,  as  *  one  man,  to  prevent  it.  They  had 
rejected  the  Holy  One  and  the  True,  and  the  troubles 
were  now  beginning  to  take  place,  which  ended  at  length 
in  their  total  ruin  and  extirpation.  Against  this  first 
affront  and  profanation  intended  to  their  temple,  they 
united  in  earnest  supplications  to  Petronius,  the  gover- 
nor of  Syria,  and,  with  much  entreaty,  obtained  per- 
mission to  send  their  deputies  to  the  emperor,  who  was, 
though  with  great  difiicuity,  prevailed  on  to  desist  from 
his  purpose  as  to  the  temple ;  but,  at  the  same  time,  he 
forbade  them,  under  the  severest  penalties,  to  oppose 
the  erection  or  dedication  of  temples  to  him  in  any- 
place without  the  city  of  Jerusalem.  This  injunction 
encouraged  their  enemies  to  affront  their  religion  wher- 
ever they  pleased,  and  laid  a  foundation  for  innumera- 
ble disturbances  and  dissentions,  in  which  the  Jews, 
whether  aggressors  or  not,  were  always  the  greatest 
sufferers.  While  they  were  thus  distracted  among 
themselves,  the  believers  enjoyed  a  favourable  respite ; 
and,  walking  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  in  the  com- 
forts of  the  Holy  Ghost,  were  edified  and  increased. 

A.  D.  39.]  As  Peter  had  formerly  seconded  the 
labours  of  Philip  the  deacon  at  Samaria,  he  now  vi- 
sited those  places  where  he  had  preached  on  his  way  to 
Ccesarea,  and  strengthened  the  disciples  he  found  there 

*  Josephus  de  Bell.  Jud.  lib.  ii. 


16#  A  Revieio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  II. 

by  his  doctrine  and  miracles.  At  Lydda*  he  restored 
a  man  to  immediate  health,  who  had  been  many  years 
ill  of  a  dropsy.  Being  afterwards  invited  to  Joppa,  he 
raised  Tabitha,  or  Dorcas,  to  life,  to  the  great  joy  of 
the  poor  and  the  widows,  whom  she  had  assisted  by  her 
alms  and  labours.  While  he  made  some  stay  here,  his 
commission  was  enlarged,  and  he  received  direction 
from  the  Lord  to  communicate  the  Gospel  to  the  Gen- 
tiles, which  had  hitherto  been  restrained  to  the  Jews,  ex- 
cept in  the  case  of  the  eunuch,  for  which  Philip  had 
been  authorized  by  the  express  command  of  an  angel. 

When  our  Lord  sent  forth  the  apostles  to  preach, 
while  he  was  yet  upon  earth,  he  expressly  confined  their 
mission  to  the  house  of  Israel ;  and  though,  after  his 
resurrection,  he  commanded  them  to  disciple  all  na- 
tions, they  did  not  immediately  understand  the  extent 
of  his  meaning.  Though  they  were  under  an  infallible 
guidance,  they  were  not  fully  instructed  at  once  ;  but 
received  intimations  of  their  duty  from  time  to  time,  as 
circumstances  varied,  and  as  the  designs  of  Divine 
Providence  were  successively  opening.  The  great 
Shepherd  and  Head  of  the  church  has  an  appointed 
time  and   manner  for  the  accomplishment  of  all  his 

*  Acts  ix.  32.  «'  He  came  to  the  saints  at  Lydda."  The  Scrip- 
ture does  not  use  the  word  saint  in  the  narrow  and  appropriate 
sense  of  some,  or  with  that  improper  ext^^nt  which  others  have 
given  to  it  in  after-times  ;  it  is  neither  peculiar  to  apostles  and 
fathers,  nor  applicable  to  all  who  bear  it  in  the  Roman  calendar ; 
but  it  is  the  common  appellation  of  all  who  believe  in  the  Lord 
Jcbus  Christ,  and  are  saved  from  sin  and  condemnation  by  his 
grace.  There  have  been  saints  in  all  ages ;  but  real  saints, 
(while  living)  have  usually  been  branded  with  opprobrious  names. 
The  world,  which  knows  not  Christ,  cannot  distinguish  his 
people  ;  but  will  rather  give  the  title  of  saints  to  many  who 
>»?iYe  hated  and  perseci^ted  the  Gospel, 


C^hap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  101 

purposes  :  nothing  can  be  effectually  done,  but  when 
and  where  he  pleases ;  but  when  his  hour  is  come,  then 
hard  things  become  easy,  and  crooked  things  straight; 
his  word,  spirit,  and  providence  then  will  all  concur, 
to  make  the  path  of  duty  plain  to  those  who  serve  him  ; 
though,  perhaps,  till  this  knowledge  is  necessary,  he 
permits  them  to  remain  ignorant  of  what  he  has  designed 
them  for.  By  this  discipline  they  are  taught  to  depend 
entirely  upon  him,  and  are  afterwards  more  fully  as- 
sured that  he  has  sent  and  succeeded  them.  Peter  was 
not  yet  freed  from  the  Jewish  prejudice,  that  all  inter- 
course with  the  Heathens  was  unlawful ;  or  if  he  had 
been  so  himself,  he  could  not  have  easily  convinced  the 
many  thousands  of  his  brethren  who  laboured  under  the 
same  mistake.  This  service  was  therefore  pointed  out 
to  him,  by  means  which  left  no  room  for  doubt  in  his 
own  mind,  and  enabled  him  fully  to  vindicate  his  con- 
duct to  others. 

*  Cornelius,  a  Roman  centurion,  or  captain,  witk 
his  family  and  dependants,  were  the  first  fruits  of 
the  Gentile  converts.  He  lived  at  Caesarea,  a  city 
not  far  from  Joppa,  and  which  was  the  ordinary 
residence  of  the  Roman  governors,  and  therefore 
promiscuously  inhabited  by  Gentiles  and  Jews.  It 
is  not  probable  that  he  had  never  heard  of  Christ,  or 
the  new  institution  that  was  spreading  under  his  namej 
but,  without  doubt,  what  he  knew  of  it  was  only  from 
public  rumour,  in  which  the  misreprentations  of  ma- 
lice, and  the  surmises  of  ignorance,  usually  so  far  pre- 
vail, that  persons  of  the  best  dispositions  are  often  de- 
terred from  making  those  inquiries  wliich  the  impor- 
tance of  truth  deserves.  But  the  Lord,  whom  he 
knew  not,  had  been  gradually  preparing  him  for  the 
*  Acts  X. 


JtJ92  A  Uevievo  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  II. 

reception  of  the  Gospel.  He  was  already  reclaimed  from 
idolatry;  he  was  a  devout  worshipper  of  God,  exem- 
plary in  his  family,  just  in  his  dealings,  and  charitable 
to  the  poor.  How  few  of  those  now  called  Christians 
can  equal  his  character,  while  a  stranger  to  the  Gospel, 
we  may  collect  from  daily  observation.  Yet  those  who 
plead  for  the  sufficiency  of  what  they  style  natural  reli- 
gion, would  do  well  to  observe,  that  though  he  was  in 
many  respects  a  good  man,  and  his  sincerity  was  approved 
by  God  himself,  yet  he  lacked  one  thing.  But  none  who 
are  made  sincerely  desirous  to  know  the  will  of  God 
shall  be  left  finally  destitute  ;  he  will  find  a  way  to  give 
them  necessary  information.  Cornelius,  who  had  often 
waited  upon  God  by  fasting  and  prayer,  and  had,  doubt- 
less, at  times,  felt  that  suspense  and  anxiety  which 
can  only  be  entirely  removed  by  a  clear  knowledge  of 
the  Gospel  covenant,  obtained  at  length  an  illustrious 
answer  :  an  angel  appeared  to  him,  assured  him  that 
his  prayer  was  heard,  and  directed  him*  to  send  for 
Peter,  who  should  inform  him  more  fully  of  his  duty. 

It  is  observable,  that  thou^jh  the  an^el  was  so  mi- 
nutely  exact  in  his  directions,  as  to  mention  the  street, 
and  the  very  house  where  Peter  resided,  he  said  not  a 
word  of  the  Gospel  to  Cornelius,  but  referred  him 
wholly  to  Peter.  The  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God  is 
pleased  to  make  his  people  instrumental  in  teaching 
each  other.  This  not  only  secures  the  honour  of  the 
success  to  him  alone,  but  it  conduces  to  their  comfort 
and  advantage.  An  angel  could  only  speak  historically, 
that  the  thing  is  so ;  but  it  comes  nearer  to  our  level  when 
delivered  by  men  who  have  been  in  the  very  case  of  others, 
and  can  say,  experimentally,  that  they  have  found  it  so. 
Who  so  fit  to  commend  the  physician's  skill  and  tender- 
ness as  those  who  have  been  themselves  cured  bv  hini 


Chap.  1.         J  Bcvicw  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  lOS 

of  a  desperate  disease  ?  Peter  had  himself  tasted  that 
the  Lord  was  gracious  ;  he  had  greatly  sinned,  yet  had 
been  freely  forgiven ;  he  had  seen  his  excellent  glory 
upon  the  mount,  and  had  received  an  express  commis- 
sion from  his  mouth.  In  these,  and  other  respects,  he 
was  a  proper  person  to  proclaim  him  to  others,  more  so 
than  an  angel  from  heaven.  We  may  therefore  safely 
infer,  a  fortiori.,  that  no  man.,  however  great  his  talents 
may  otherwise  be,  can  be  qualified,  or  fit  to  preach  the 
Gospel,  until  he  has  known  the  evil  of  sin  himself,  and 
been  a  partaker  of  the  pardoning  grace  of  God,  through 
a  crucified  Redeemer. 

Cornelius  was  not  disobedient  to  the  heavenly  vision. 
His  example  and  instructions  had  been  a  blessing  to  his 
household  ;  so  that  he  had  servants  about  him  to  whom 
he  could  communicate  this  extraordinary  event,  and 
depend  on  their  fidelity.  Having  related  his  vision  to 
them,  he  sent  them  to  Joppa,  to  invite  Peter  to  his 
house. 

When  they  departed  from  Caesarea,  Peter  was  under 
the  influence  of  the  national  prejudice,  which  would 
hardly  have  permitted  him  to  have  gone  with  them;  but 
while  they  were  on  the  journey,  the  Lord  prepared  his 
mind  to  comply.  The  time  was  now*  come,  when  it  was 
necessary  he  should  know  the  extensive  designs  of  God 
in  favour  of  sinners  of  all  nations,  people,  and  langua- 
ges ;  and  that  the  partition-wall  between  Jews  and 

*  In  the  Lord's  dispensations  in  favour  of  his  people,  there  is 
often  a  counterpart,  resembling  that  which  is  related  in  this 
chapter.  The  minds  of  two  or  more  persons  are  inclined,  by- 
different  means,  to  concur  in  the  same  design,  though,  perhaps, 
they  ai*e  far  asunder,  and  know  nothing  of  each  other's  intentions  : 
in  time,  circumstances  fall  out  which  connect  their  views,  and 
prove  that  the  whole  was  from  the  Lord. 


104)  A  Revie^t}  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  II. 

Gentiles  was  broken  down,  and  taken  away,  by  the 
death  of  Christ.  He  received  this  intimation  by  a  vi- 
sion, which  exactly  corresponded  in  its  circumstances 
with  the  case  in  hand.  About  noon,  the  following  day, 
when  the  messengers  were  near  to  Joppa,  he  was  re- 
tired to  the  top  of  the  house,  for  the  convenient  exer- 
cise of  secret  prayer ;  and,  having  an  appetite  for  food, 
he  saw,  as  it  were,  a  large  sheet,  or  wrapper,  let  down 
from  heaven,  suspended  by  the  four  corners,  contain- 
ing all  sorts  of  beasts,  birds,  and  reptiles,  without  any 
regard  to  the  ceremonial  distinction  of  clean  and  un- 
clean: this  appearance  was  accompanied  with  a  voice, 
directing  him  to  slay  and  eat.  When  ho  answered, 
that  he  had  never  yet  transgressed  the  law,  by  eating 
unclean  food ;  the  voice  replied,  What  God  hath 
cleansed,  that  call  not  thou  common  or  unclean.  To 
impress  the  whole  upon  his  mind,  and  to  convince  him 
that  the  vision  was  real  and  significant,  it  was  repeated 
three  times.  When  it  was  finally  withdrawn,  and  while 
he  was  thinking*  what  it  might  iinport,  the  men  sent 
by  Cornelius  were  inquiring  for  him  at  the  door  below; 
of  which  receiving  previous  notice  by  the  secret  sug- 
gestion of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  being  directed  to  go 
with  them  without  hesitation,  he  went  down  and  spoke 
to  them,  before  they  had  time  to  send  him  word  of  their 
arrival  by  the  people  of  the  house.  When  he  had  heard 
their  business,  and  compared   the  vision  of  Cornelius 

*  Peter  was  faithful  to  the  light  he  had  already  received,  and 
did  not  hastily  follow  the  first  impulse  upon  his  mind  ;  though 
the  liberty  seemed  to  be  authorized  by  a  voice  from  heaven,  he 
did  not  accept  it  without  consideration.  His  example  should 
be  considered  by  those  who  give  themselves  up  to  the  influence 
of  every  sudden  impression,  without  taking  time  to  consider  its 
nature  and  tendency,  and  how  far  it  is  consistent  with  the  re- 
vealed will  of  God. 


Ghap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  105 

with  his  own,  he  scrupled  no  longer ;  but  lodging  the 
strangers  that  night,  he  accompanied  them  the  next  day, 
taking  with  him  five  of  the  brethren  from  Joppa,  to  be 
witnesses  of  what  the  Lord  intended  to  do.  Cornelius, 
who  earnestly  expected  his  arrival,  had  assembled  his 
friends  and  dependants  against  his  coming:  he  received 
Peter  before  them  all  with  the  greatest  respect  and  cor- 
diality, and  gave  him  a  particular  account  of  what  had 
past,  professing  that  both  he  and  his  friends  were  ready 
to  receive  and  obey  his  instructions.  Peter  now  per- 
ceived, and  acknowledged,  the  great  truth  the  Lord  had 
pointed  out  by  so  many  harmonizing  circumstances ; 
that  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel  were  no  longer  con- 
fined to  the  Jews ;  but  that  Jesus  was  appointed 
''  to  be  a  light  to  enlighten  the*  Gentiles"  also.     In  his 

*  Acts  X.  34.  Few  passages  of  Scripture  seem  to  have  been 
more  misunderstood  and  misrepresented  than  this  and  the  follow- 
ing verse.  As  some  have  presumed,  that  St.  Paul's  doctrine  of  jus- 
tification is  corrected,  if  not  confuted,  by  St.  James ;  so  the  apos- 
tle Peter  has  been  supposed  to  contradict  both  St.  Paul  and  him- 
self (see  1  Peter  i.  1,  2.)  in  another  important  truth  of  the  Gospel. 
This  mistake  is  more  excusable  in  those  who  do  not  understand 
the  original;  but  those  who  do,  ought  not  to  avail  themselves  of  an 
ambiguous  word.  The  Greek  wfoo-wro?,  from  whence  TBoa-uiruMTrlv; 
is  derived,  does  not  convey  the  same  idea  that  an  English  reader 
receives  from  the  word  fierson  ;  it  does  not  properly  signify  a  per- 
sonal identity,  but  the  outward  appearance  and  circumstance  of  a 
person  or  thing.  Thus  it  is  sometimes  renderedyhce,  as  Matth.  vi. 
16.  and  many  other  places,  and  is  applied  to  the  sky  or  air,  Matth. 
xvi.  3.;  countenance^  Luke  ix.  29. ;  presence^  2  Cor.  x.  1 . ;  fashion 
James  i.  II.  The  meaning  here  is  the  same  as  in  Coloss.  iii.  25. 
The  Lord  is  not  moved  by  the  outward  distinctions  and  differen- 
ces amongst  men,  to  which  we  often  pay  regard.  (Compare  1 
Sam.  xvi.  7.)  He  neither  receives  nor  rejects  any  for  being  Jew 
or  Gentile,  rich  or  poor,  bond  or  free,  male  or  female,  but  is 
rich  in  mercy  to  all  who  call  upon  him. 

Vol.  III.  P 


106  A  licvkw  (jf  Ecclesiastical  Historic .         Book  II. 

discourse  to  thcin,  he  declared  the  person,  character, 
and  offices  of  Jesus,  who  had  been  lately  crucified  ;  af- 
firming himself  to  have  been  an  eye- witness  of  what  he  re- 
lated; he  asserted  his  honour  and  authority,  as  the  Lord 
of  all,  the  sovereign  Judi;e  of  the  living  and  the  dead; 
that  he  was  the  Divine  Saviour  spoken  of  by  the  pro- 
phets, and  that  all  who  believed  in  his  name  should  re- 
ceive the  remission  of  sin.  Here  we  see  the  apostle's 
doctrine  to  the  Gentiles  was  the  same  that  he  had 
preached  at  Jerusalem  upon  and  after  the  day  of 
Pentecost ;  and  the  same  with  what  our  Lord  had  de- 
clared concerning  himself,  ^frce  and  complete  salvation 
hy  faith.  He  did  not,  in  the  least,  attempt  to  accom- 
modate his  subject  to  any  supposed  prejudices  of  his 
new  hearers,  but  faithfully  acquitted  himself  of  his  mes- 
sage, and  left  the  event  to  God.  The  mystery  of 
Christ  crucified,  which  was  a  stumbling-block  to  the 
Jews,  was,  by  many  of  the  Gentiles,  accounted  foolish- 
ness and  absurdity;  but  the  apostles  proposed  it  simply 
and  indifferently  to  all.  In  the  present  case,  the  suc- 
cess was,  (what  has,  perhaps,  seldom  happened,)  uni- 
versal; the  whole  company  believed,  and  received  the 
Holy  Ghost  immediately,  previous  to  baptism,  and 
without  the  usual  imposition  of  the  apostle's  hands. 
This  signal  attestation  with  which  the  Lord  honoured 
their  faith,  unanswerably  removing  every  doubt  con- 
cerning'their  fitness,  Peter  immediately  directed  them 
to  be  baptized,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  through 
whom  they  had  already  received  that  inward  and  spi- 
ritual grace,  of  which  baptism  was  the  outward  and  vi- 
sible sign. 

When  this  aflair  was  reported  in  Judea,  it  was  not  at 
first  agreeable  to  those  who  knew  not  the  warrant  and 
grounds  on  which  Peter  had  proceeded ;  so  that,  whea 


Chap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  1G7 

he  returned  to  Jerusalem,  he  found  himself  under  a 
necessity  of  vindicating*  his  conduct  to  the  Jewish  con- 
verts :  a  full  proof  that  they  did  not  think  him  infalli- 
ble, or  possessed  of  that  superiority  over  the  whole 
church  which  designing  men,  for  promoting  their  own 
ends,  have  since  ascribed  to  him.  But  though  he  was 
an  apostle,  and  had  acted  by  the  express  command  of 
God,  and  though  their  expostulation  seems  to  have 
been  hasty  and  rough,  yet  he  did  not  think  it  beneath 
him  to  give  an  orderly  and  circumstantial  account  of  the 
whole  business ;  they,  on  the  other  hand,  were  open  to 
conviction,  and,  when  they  had  heard  his  relation,  they 
instantly  acquiesced,  and  glorified  God  for  his  grace 
given  to  the  Gentiles.  This  mutual  condescension  and 
ingenuousness  preserved  the  first  Christians  in  peace, 
though  they  were  not  always  exempted  from  mistakes 
and  wrong  impressions. 

By  this  time  the  believers,  who  had  been  dispersed 
by  persecution,  had  spread  the  Gospel  beyond  the 
bounds  of  Judea  and  Galilee  into  Cyprus  and  Syria 
and,  probably,  to  more  distant  parts,  particularly  to 
Rome,  which,  being  the  centre  and  conflux  of  the  em- 
pire, would  hardly  be  long  unvisited ;  however,  in  all 
places,  the  preaching  of  the  word  was  confined  to  the 
Jews,  till  Peter's  mission  to  Cornelius  afforded  an  au- 
thorized precedent  for  imparting  it  to  the  Heathens. 

A.  D.  40.]  It  was  soon  after  publicly  preached  in 
Antioch,  the  capital  of  Syria,  and  no  less  eminent  for 
luxury  and  depravity  of  manners ;  yet  amongst  these 
dissolute  and  enslaved  people,  the  gospel  of  Christ,  ac- 
companied with  a  divine  power,  was  suddenly  and  re- 
markably prevalent,  to  turn  a  great  multitude  from 
darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  Satan  to  God. 

*  Acts  xi. 


108  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  II. 

the  means  of  this  happy  change  are  expressly  men- 
tioned. What  the  philosophers  had  long  attempted,  in 
vain,  by  cold  encomiums  on  the  beauty  of  virtue,  was 
speedily  effected  by  those  who  simply  preached  the 
Lord  Jesus,  as  the  author,  finisher,  and  fountain  of 
salvation.  When  the  news  of  this  good  beginning  was 
brought  to  Jerusalem,  the  apostles  sent  Barnabas  to  An- 
tioch,  who,  being  a  good  man,  and  full  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  himself,  was  greatly  rejoiced,  when  he  saw  the 
numbers  and  sincerity  of  the  converts,  and  animated 
them,  by  his  exhortations,  to  cleave  to  the  Lord  with 
steady  resolution ;  for  he  was  sensible  of  what  they> 
perhaps,  were  little  aware  of  as  yet,  how  many  arts  the 
enemy  of  souls  employs  to  discourage  those  who  are 
beginning  to  walk  in  wisdoms  ways.  ITe  afterwards 
"went  to  Saul,  and  prevailed  on  him  to  leave  Tarsus, 
and  join  with  him  in  the  service  of  the  Gospel  at  An- 
tioch.  By  the  Lord's  blessing  on  the  endeavours  of 
these  faithful  labourers,  the  church  was  so  greatly  in- 
creased, that  the  believers  there  first  received  the  ge- 
neral denomination  of  Christians  :  a  significant  and  in- 
structive appellation,  strongly  importing  their  duty  and 
relation  to  Christ;  and  to  each  other ;  and  has  therefore 
universally  obtained,  and  will,  probably,  subsist  to  the 
end  of  time.  But  though  this  name  is  accounted  ho- 
nourable with  us,  and  has  always  been  deemed,  by  those 
who  truly  deserve  it,  the  noblest  title,  the  higJiest 
style  of  man,  it  had  not  the  same  general  estima- 
tion when  first  imposed.  In  the  mouth  of  unbelievers, 
"whether  Jews  or  Heathens,  it  was  a  term  of  infamy 
and  reproach,  and  expressive  of  the  highest  contempt*  ; 

* quos  per  flagitia  invisos  vulgus  Christianos  appellabat- 

auctor  nominis  ejus  Christus,  qui,  Tiberio  imperante,  per 
procuratorem  Pontium  Pilatum  suppliciis  affectus  crat. — 
Tacitus^  Ann.  xv. 


6liap.  1 .        J  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Hi&tory,  109 

and  may  be  therefore  ranked  among  the  many  op- 
probrious epithets  by  which  the  Lord's  faithful  follow- 
ers have  been  marked  out  to  the  rage  and  scorn  of 
the  world. 

Caligula,  having  rendered  himself  universally  odious 
by  his  inhumanity  and  caprice,  was  assassinated  in  his 
palace,  in  the  fourth  year  of  his  reign  *. 

Claudius,  a.  d.  41.]  He  was  succeeded  by  Clau- 
dius, who,  soon  after  his  entrance  on  the  government, 
bestowed  the  kingdom  of  Judea  on  Herod  Agrippa,  a 
grandson  of  Herod  styled  the  Great,  (mentioned  Matth. 
ii.)  the  nephew  to  Herod  the  tetrarch,  who  put  John 
the  Baptist  to  death.  This  prince  experienced  much  of 
that  vicissitude  which  usually  attends  ambition ;  he  had 
been  detained  in  prison  and  chains  by  Tiberius,  greatly 
favoured  and  advanced  by  Caligula,  and  now  seemed 
to  have  attained  the  summit  of  his  wishes ;  but,  em- 
ploying his  power  to  persecute  the  church,  he  was  sud- 
denly cut  off,  in  the  height  of  his  prosperity!  :  for  who 
can  harden  himself  against  the  Lord  and  prosper ! 
Herod  was  a  professed  zealot  for  the  law  of  Moses  and 
the  JeM'ish  institutions,  and  studied  by  every  means  to 
ingratiate  himself  with  the  people.  He  first  expended 
vast  sums  in  the  defence  and  ornament  of  the  city  ;  but 
it  was  in  his  power  to  attempt  a  still  more  acceptable 
service,  by  exerting  his  authority  against  the  people  of 
Christ :  and  the  motives  of  vanity  and  popularity  by 
which  he  was  governed,  prompted  him  to  embrace  the 
occasion.  He  began,  by  apprehending  the  apostle 
James,  the  son  of  Zebedee,  whom  he  hastily  put  to 
death  ;  and  finding  that  the  Jews  were  highly  pleased 

*  Josephus's  Ant.  lib.  x.  t  Acts  xil. 


110  A  jRevJeio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  II. 

with  this  step,  he  proceeded  to  imprison  Peter,  intend- 
ing to  delay  his  execution  till  after  the  passover,  [a.  d. 
44.]  that  his  zeal  against  these  innovators  might  be 
applauded  by  a  greater  number  of  spectators.     This 
stroke,  though  very  afflictive  to  the  church,  was  wisely 
permitted,  to  illustrate  the  courage  and  fidelity  of  the 
apostles.     It  showed,  that  their  miraculous  powers  and 
high  office  afforded  them  no  sure  exemption  from  per- 
secution ;  but  that  they  ventured  and  acted  upon  the 
saine  principles  of  faith  and  love  to  Jesus,  in  common 
with  other  believers.     Thus  James  finished  his  course, 
and  received  the  crown  the  first  of  the  apostles.     But 
Peter,  being  designed  for  further  services,  was  still  safe; 
though  to  an  eye  of  sense,  he  seemed  marked  out  for 
a  speedy  sacrifice.     Incessant  prayer  was  made  on  his 
behalf  by  the  disciples;  and  the  united  prayers  of  God's 
people  have  an  efficacy  which  can  be  withstood  by  no 
human  power  ;  when  he  inclines  them  to  join  with  ear- 
nestness and  perseverance  in  prayer,   it  is  because  he 
has  already  determined  to  grant  their  petition.     In  this 
case  the  answer  was  signal,  though  not  immediate.  The 
night  before   Peter  was  to  have  been  brought  forth  to 
suffer,  he  was  sleeping  between  his  keepers,  with  that 
serenity  which  is  peculiar  to  those  who  have  a  good 
cause,  a  good  conscience,  and  a  steady  faith  in  God. 
Neither  the  inconveniences  of  a  prison,  nor  the  expecta- 
tion of  death,  could  discompose  him,  for  he  knew  in 
whom  he  had  believed ;    but  he  was  awakened  by  an 
angel,  who  freed  him  from  his  chains,  opened  the  pri- 
son doors,  and  brought  him  into  the  street,  unperceived 
by  the  guards.     After  the  angel  had  thus  set  him  at  li- 
berty,  and  was  departed,  Peter    went  to  the  house 
where  his  friends  were  at  that  instant  praying  for  his 


Chap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Ill 

deliverance.  Thus  they  had  a  remarkable  proof  that 
the  Lord  is  indeed  a  God  that  heareth  prayer ;  and  it 
is  recorded  for  our  encouragement. 

In  the  morning,  Herod  found  himself  disappointed  of 
his  prey.  The  guards,  upon  examination*,  being  un- 
able to  give  an  account  of  their  prisoner,  he  com- 
manded them  to  be  put  to  death.  It  is  probable  that 
Herod,  or  his  advisers,  might  suspect  a  miraculous  in- 
terposition, (as  the  apostles  had  been  delivered  the  same 
way  a  few  years  before ;)  but  to  punish  the  keepers,  as 
if  they  had  been  guilty  of  conniving  at  his  escape,  was 
the  most  likely  method  to  stop  further  inquiry,  and 
prevent  the  people  from  supposing  any  thing  extraor- 
dinary in  the  affair. 

Herod  did  not  long  survive  this  event.  He  lived  and 
died  a  monument  of  the  instability  of  human  greatness. 
He  was  much  devoted  to  his  Roman  masters,  and  had 
a  taste  for  their  magnificence.  This  induced  him  to  ce- 
lebrate games  and  shows  at  Cassarea,  in  honour  of  the 
emperor :  here  he  laboured  to  display  the  utmost  of  his 
grandeur.  His  pride  was  further  flattered,  by  the  ar- 
rival of  an  embassy  from  Tyre  and  Sidon.  These  ci- 
ties had  incurred  his  displeasure ;  but,  as  they  chiefly 
drew  their  subsistence  from  his  dominions,  they  were 
compelled  to  supplicate  peace;  which,  though  they  had 
highly  offended  him,  they  obtained,  by  their  interest 
with  Blastus,  his  chamberlain.  The  king  appointed  a 
day  to  receive  their  submission,  when  he  appeared  with 

*  Herod  examined  them  himself.  It  is  probable  he  found  strong 
reason  to  think  Peter  had  been  miraculously  delivered ;  but  like  a 
v)ise  politician,  he  dissembled  his  conviction,  and,to  stifle  all  suspi- 
cion, wreaked  his  resentment  upon  the  soldiers.  They,  without 
doubt,believed  there  was  something  extraordinary  in  the  case, and 
might  have  said  so  if  they  had  lived ;— but  dead  men  tell  no  tales. 


112  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  11. 

a  splendour  that  dazzled  the  eyes  of  the  spectators.  Ho 
addressed  himself  to  the  ambassadors  in  a  pompous  ora- 
tion, suited,  M'e  may  suppose,  to  give  them  the  highest 
idea  both  of  his  power  and  his  clemency.  When  he 
had  ended,  he  heard  his  praises  resound  from  every 
quarter;  the  multitude  shouted,  "It  is  the  voice  of  a  god, 
"  not  of  a  man."  His  vain  heart  was  elated  with  this 
impious  compliment,  which,  indeed,  was  no  more  than 
had  often  been  used  upon  such  occasions  among  the 
Heathens ;  but  when  it  was  now  adopted  by  those  who 
professed  a  knowledge  of  the  true  God,  the  proud  worm 
who  durst  be  pleased  with  it,  was  made  a  sudden  and  aw- 
ful example  of  the  divine  displeasure :  the  avenging  angel 
of  the  Lord  smote  him  with  an  irresistible,  though  invisi- 
ble stroke ;  and,  while  surrounded  with  the  fancied  in- 
signia of  majesty,  and  in  the  midst  of  their  idolatrous 
acclamations,  he  found  and  confessed  himself  a  mor- 
tal. He  was  seized  with  excruciating  pains,  and  ex- 
pired in  a  few  days,  being,  in  a  manner,  devoured  by 
vermin  bred  from  his  bowels.  With  his  death  the  per- 
secution ceased.  He  perished,  and  was  quickly  forgot; 
but  the  word  of  God,  which  he  had  attempted  to  sup- 
press, grew  and  multiplied  as  before. 

The  church  of  Antioch  during  this  time  greatly  in- 
creased, and  enjoyed  the  benefit  of  many  excellent 
teachers  ;  some  of  M^hom  were  endued  with  a  prophe- 
tical spirit,  by  which  the  Lord  intimated  his  will  to 
them  in  particular  cases.  In  this  way  they  had  been 
informed  of  an  approaching  dearth,  and,  as  seasons  of 
scarcity  would  severely  affect  the  disciples  in  Judea, 
who  laboured  under  peculiar  difficulties,  they  cheerfulbj 
contributed  to  their  relief,  and  sent  the  collection  to 
Jerusalem  by  Saul  and  Barnabas,  who  having  ful- 
filled their  commission,  returned  to  Antioch  about  this 


Chap.  1.        A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  113 

^ime*.  [a.  d.  45.]  These  two  were  soon  afterwards 
appointed,  by  an  express  revelation,  to  propagate  the 
knowledge  of  the  Gospel  in  other  countries  :  they  were 
set  apart  to  this  service  by  the  solemn  prayers  of  the 
church,  and  attended  by  John,  surnamed  Mark,  who 
had  accompanied  them  from  Jerusalem.  Thus  they  went 
forth,  like  Abraham,  uncertain  whither  they  were  to  go, 
but  assured  of  an  infallible  guidance  and  power  to  di- 
rect and  prepare  the  way. 

It  is  generally  believed,  that  nearly  about  the  same 
time,  the  apostles  at  Jerusalem  likewise  separated  to 
preach  the  Gospel,  in  the  districts  respectively  allotted 
them  by  the  direction  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  and  we  have 
some  account  from  antiquity  of  their  several  provinces, 
according  to  which,  they  divided  among  them  the  greatest 
part  of  the  known  world,  from  India  to  Barbary,  and 
from  Abyssinia  to  Scythia.  Indeed  there  is  no  doubt 
but  they  executed  their  connnission  as  apostles,  and 
spread  the  Gospel  far  and  wide ;  but  the  particulars 
recorded  of  their  labours,  sufFtrings,  and  circuits,  are 
not  transmitted  with  such  authenticity  and  clearness  as 
to  give  entire  satisfaction.  The  only  certain  history 
we  have  of  the  apostolic  age  is  that  of  Luke,  which  we 
call  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  ;  and  this,  horn  the  period 
we  are  now  come  to,  is  confined  to  those  events  in 
which  Paul  was  personally  concerned,  and  does  not 
even  carry  on  his  history  to  the  end  of  his  life.  The 
wisdom  of  God  having  given  us,  both  in  the  life  of 
Jesus  and  of  his  first  servants,  rattier  a  specimen  suf- 
ficient tor  our  instruction,  than  a  complete  history  to 
gratify  oar  curiosity,  to  this  plan  we  shall  conlorm  ; 
and,  while  we  have  the  light  oi  aa  inspired  writer,  we 

*  Acts  xiii. 

Vol.  III.  Q 


114  A  lievieii}  of  Ecclesiastical  Ilistorij.        Book  II. 

shall  not  wander  after  the  glimmerings  of  tradition.  I 
shall  therefore,  in  the  progress  of  this  chapter,  confine 
myself  to  the  evangelist's  narration,  so  far  as  it  goes  ; 
and  when  he  leaves  us,  it  will  be  sufficient  to  comprise, 
in  a  very  narrow  compass,  the  most  certain,  or  most 
probable,  incidents  which  we  can  recover  to  complete 
the  records  of  the  first  century. 

SauI  and  Barnabas  embarked  at  Seleucia,  a  sea-port 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Antioch,  and  sailed  to  Cyprus. 
They  landed  at  Salamis,  on  the  east  side,  and  proceeded 
through  the  island  to  Paphos,  in  the  west,  making  the 
first  tender  of  the  Gospel  in  every  place  to  the  Jews. 
At  Paphos,  the  Roman  governor,  Sergius  Paulus,  was 
desirous  to  hear  the  apostle's  doctrine.  He  was  attended 
by  Elymas,  a  pretended  magician  and  prophet;  who, 
fearing  the  discovery  of  his  impostures,  laboured  to 
divert  the  governor  from  his  purpose,  and  to  prejudice 
him  against  them.  But  Saul  sharply  rebuked  his  wick- 
edness, and,  by  the*  impulse  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  de- 
nounced a  sentence  against  him  suitable  to  his  crime  : 
he  who  endeavoured  to  detain  others  in  darkness  and 
ignorance,  was  suddenly  struck  blind  himself.  This 
punishment,  which  he  could  neither  foresee  nor  avoid, 
discovered  the  vanity  of  his  claims,  and  convinced  the 
governor   that    the  preachers  spoke  by   an  authority 

*  It  is  expressly  said,  Saul,  or  Puul,  was  filled  with  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  therefore  the  severe  espressioiis  in  his  reprimand  were 
not  the  eifects  of  intemperate  an^^er,  but  a  solemn  declaration  of 
the  sorcerer's  true  character :  yet  it  is  safer  to  imitate  the  apos- 
tle in  his  patience  and  humility,  than  in  this  singular  instance. 
The  power  of  God  which  accompanied  his  words,  proved  by 
what  impulse  and  authority  he  spoke.  We,  who  arc  not  apos- 
tles, and  who  make  no  claim  to  apostolic  pov/er,  shall  act  more 
in  character,  to  conform  to  the  tjcneral  rule  St.  Paul  nas  ^iveu 
us  :  2  Tim.  ii.  i34,  25. 


Chap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  115 

superior  to  their  own  ;  he  therefore  attended  more  care- 
fully to  their  words,  and  became  soon  a  partaker  of 
their  faith. 

From  Cyprus  they  sailed  to  Perga  in  Pamphylia, 
where  their  attendant  Mark,  either  already  wearied 
with  fatigue,  or  apprehensive  of  greater  difficulties,  or 
from  a  fickleness  and  levity  of  temper,  would  proceed  no 
further  with  them,  but  returned  to  Jerusalem.  By  this 
indiscretion  he  not  only  lost  many  valuable  opportunities, 
which  he  afterwards  regretted,  but,  in  the  end,  gave 
occasion  to  a  great  difference  between  Barnabas  and 
Paul.  Such  is  the  state  of  humanity,  that  those  persons 
in  a  society  who  cannot  do  much  good,  are  often  by 
their  imprudence  the  cause  of  much  harm,  even  where 
they  intend  otherwise.  From  Perga  they  proceeded  to 
Antioch  in  Pisidia,  and  entered  into  the  synagogue. 
[a.  d.  45.]  Their  habit  and  manners  bespoke  them 
Jews,  but  perhaps  the  rulers  of  the  synagogue  were 
not  apprized  of  their  character.  When  the  ordinary 
service  was  finished,  they  were  desired  to  propound 
their  sentiments.  Paul,  who  was  usually  the  speaker, 
addressed  them  in  a  long  discourse,  a  valuable  abstract 
of  which  is  preserved  to  us.  In  his  introduction  he 
reminded  them  of  their  ancient  history  and  prophecies  ; 
but  the  sum  and  substance  of  his  sermon  was  Jesus. 
He  proved  from  the  Scripture,  that //e  was  the  Messiah, 
in  whom  the  promises  centred,  and  proposed  him  to 
all  as  the  great  object  of  faith,  through  whom,  and  by 
whom  alone,  forgiveness  of  sin  was  to  be  obtained,  and 
a  free  justification  from  those  offences  for  which  the 
law  of  Moses  had  made  no  provision.  In  the  close, 
he  solemnly  warned  them  of  the  danger  of  rejecting  this 
Saviour  and  his  Gospel.  His  discourse  made  no  great  im- 
pression upon  the  Jews  ;  but  some  of  the  Heathens;  who 


116  A  lieviexv  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  II. 

had  been  occasionally  present,  desired  to  hear  the  mat- 
ter further  explained:  accordiniily,  on  the  next  Sabbath, 
almost  the  whole  city  was  collected  to  hear  the  Gospel, 
which  exceedino;ly  offended  the  Jews,  and  prompted 
them  to  interpose  with  cavil  and  abuse.  The  apostles 
then  told  theiu  in  plain  terms,  that,  though  their  mes- 
sage was  first  to  thein,  yet,  since  they  refused  to  receive 
it,  they  would  henceforth  freely  proclaim  it  to  the 
Heathens,  from  whom  they  expected  a  more  favourable 
hearing :  nor  were  they  disappointed  in  their  hope,  for 
many  of  the  latter  received  the  word  with  joy,  both  in 
the  city  and  adjacent  country*.  The  Jews,  further  ex- 
asperated by  this  success,  so  wrought  upon  the  passions 
and  prejudices  of  some  persons  of  influence,  both  men 
and  women,  who  were  probably  proselytes,  and  super- 
stitiously  devoted  to  their  new  profession,  that  Paul 
and  Barnabas  were  violently  compelled  to  depart ;  but 
they  left  behind  them  disciples,  the  fruits  of  their 
ministry,  who  were  filled  with  joy  and  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  thereby  enabled  to  maintain  the  faith,  though  their 
teachers  were  forced  from  them. 

The  apostles,  shaking  off  the  dust  of  their  feet,  (as 
our  Lord  had  commanded,)  for  a  testimony  against  the 
obstinate  infidelity  of  the  Jews,  went  from  thence  to 
Iconium,  the  chief  city  of  Lycaonia,  where  they  made 
many  converts,  both  Jews  and  Gentiles.  But  the  Jews 
who  believed  not,  actuated  by  the  same  spirit  in  every 

*  "  When  the  Jews  saw  the  multitudes  they  wore  filled  with 
"  envy."  Amon.ij  the  clamours  raised  against  persons  and  doc- 
trines in  our  own  time,  some  have  not  been  ashamed  to  allege  the 
great  concourse  of  people  usually  attending,  as  a  sufficient  objec- 
tion, forgetting,  (as  it  should  seem,)  that  this  was  one  circum- 
stance that  provoked  and  instigated  the  enemies  of  Christianity 
from  the  beginning.  John  vii.  40.  48.  and  xi.  48.  and  xii.  19. 


Ghap.'!.         A  Revieto  of  Ecclesiastical  Mstory.  117 

place,  opposed  them*  earnestly  ;  yet  they  staid  so  long, 
and  met  with  such  success,  that  the  city  was  divided ; 
a  part  holding  with  them,  and  a  part  influenced  by  their 
enemies,  who  fron)  thence  took  occasion  to  represent 
them  to  the  magistrates  as  disturbers  of  the  public 
peace ;  a  charge  which  has  often  been  falsely  urged 
against  the  ministers  of  the  Gospel.  At  length  their 
adversaries  prevailed,  and  violent  measures  were  re- 
solved on ;  but  they,  having  notice  of  it,  withdrew  in 
time  to  Lystra,  in  the  sanje  province,  where  they  pur- 
sued their  ministry  with  their  usual  zeal  and  firmness, 
•without  being  deterred  by  the  opposition  they  had 
already  met  with,  or  were  likely  to  meet  in  every 
place.  Among  their  hearers  at  Lystra,  there  was  one 
who  had  been  a  cripple  from  his  birth.  Paul  observing 
bis  attention,  and  some  indications  of  faith  in  his  be- 
haviour, was  directed  to  confirm  the  doctrine  of  Jesus 
by  a  signal  miracle.  He  commanded  the  lame  man  to 
stand  upright  upon  his  feet,  and  his  word  was  ac- 
companied with  immediate  power ;  the  man,  who  had 
never  walked,  instantly  sprang  up,  and  possessed  the 
perfect  use  of  his  limbs.  It  appeared  from  this  instance, 
that  though  miracles  have  a  tendency  to  rouse  the  at- 
tention, and  are  a  proof  of  a  power  beyond  the  ordinary 
course  of  things,  yet  they  connot  of  themselves  inform 
or  convince  the  mind  of  truth  ;  for  the  ignorant  multi- 
tude, though  greatly  struck  with  what  they  saw,  were 

*  Acts  xiv.  "  The  Jews  stirred  up  the  people,"  ver.  2.  There 
is  a  natural  enmity  in  the  hearts  of  some  men,  but  in  many  it  is 
dormant ;  they  are  engaged  in  business  and-pleasure,  and  would 
be  content  to  let  the  people  of  God  alone,  as  unworthy  their  no- 
tice ;  these  must  be  stirred  up.  by  the  more  zealous,  to  join  in 
the  common  cause  ;  and  accordingly  no  pains  or  misrepresenta- 
tions are  spared  to  rouse  them  from  their  indolence. 


118  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  II.. 

SO  far  from  believing  the  apostle's  doctrine,  on  the 
evidence  of  this  miracle,  that  they  endeavoured  to 
account  for  it  on  their  own  indolatrous  principles  :  they 
forgot  all  they  had  heard  of  Jesus,  and  cried  out,  "The 
"  gods  are  come  down  to  us  in  the  likeness  of  men." 
Agreeably  to  their  blinded  notions,  they  called  Barnabas 
Jupiter,  and  Paul  Mercury ;  imagining  something  in 
them  peculiarly  characteristic  of  those  fabulous  deities. 
In  the  warmth  of  their  superstition  they  assembled, 
■with  their  high  priest*  and  victims,  and  would  have 
offered  sacrifices  to  the  men  who  came  to  turn  them 
from  dumb  idols  to  serve  the  living  God.  But  nothing 
gives  the  faithful  ministers  of  Christ  greater  pain,  than 
to  have  any  part  of  that  honour  or  dependence  addressed 
to  themselves,  which  they  are  desirous  wholly  to  engage 
for  their  Lord  and  Master.  Paul  and  Barnabas,  who 
had  suffered  persecution  and  ill  treatment  with  patience, 
•were  transported  beyond  their  usual  bounds  at  these 
marks  of  ignorant  applause ;  they  rushed  in  among 
the  people,  confessed  their  own  infirmities,  boldly 
reproved  their  blind  idolatry,  and  directed  them  where 
alone  their  thanks  and  worship  were  due  ;  yet,  with  all 
they  could  say,  they  hardly  prevailed  on  them  to  desist. 
It  was  happy  for  them  that  they  sought  not  their  own 
glory,  and  could  not  be  elated  with  the  applause  of 
men.     Poor  and   precious  is  the  reward  of  those  who 

*  The  high  priest  was  probably  willing  to  avail  himself  of  the 
superstition  of  the  people,  and  thought  it  a  favourable  occasion 
to  establish  the  belief  of  a  peculiar  sanctity  and  virtue  in  the 
temple  of  Lystra,  which  might  increase  the  number  of  votaries 
and  promote  his  own  wealth  and  influence;  just  as  a  legendary  re- 
port of  the  appearance  or  miracles  of  some  saint,  or  angel,  has 
been  improved  to  procure  a  veneration  for  particular  cities,  or 
temples,  in  Christian  countries. 


Chap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Histwy,  119 

aim  no  higher  than  this  ;  for,  as  the  tide,  after  running 
violently  one  way,  soon  and  suddenly  reverts  to  the 
contrary  extreme ;  so  inconstant  is  the  praise  and  re- 
gard of  the  unthinking  many,  who  are  governed  by 
appearances,  and  susceptive  of  every  new  impression. 
Some  of  the  restless  Jews  followed  the  apostles  from 
Iconium,  and,  by  their  insinuations,  prevailed  on  the 
same  people  to  treat  those  as  malefactors,  whom  a 
little  before  they  had  revered  as  deities.  They  tumul- 
tuously  assaulted  Paul,  (who  being  the  chief  speaker, 
was  usually  the  chief  sufferer,)  stoned  him,  and  dragged 
him  out  of  the  city,  supposing  they  had  killed  him  : 
but  the  Lord,  to  whom  the  issues  of  life  and  death  be- 
long, restored  him,  and  healed  his  bruises,  so  that  he 
rose  up  while  the  disciples  were  sorrowfully  standing 
round  him  ;  and,  having  entered  into  the  city,  to  show 
that  he  was  neither  dead  nor  intimidated,  he  was  en- 
abled to  accompany  Barnabas  the  next  day  to  Derbe. 

Here  they  continued  some  time,  and  taught  many ; 
and  this  was  the  boundary  of  their  present  progress. 
From  hence  they  returned,  (regardless  of  their  enemies,) 
to  the  places  they  had  been  at  before,  to  Lystra, 
Iconium,  and  Perga  ;  confirming  the  believers,  forming 
them  into  societies,  and  constituting  elders  and  pastors 
from  amongst  themselves,  in  every  church.  In  all 
places  they  took  care  to  instruct  the  believers  in  the 
nature  of  their  profession,  and  reminded  them  of  an 
unalterable  necessity  in  the  present  constitution  of 
things,  "  that  through  much  tribulation  *  we  must  enter 

*  Acts  xiv.  22.  That  this  was  the  case  in  the  priuiltive  times, 
is  generally  allowed;  but  \vc  have  been  told  by  some,  thiit  things 
are  now  greatly  altered  in  this  respect :  they  v/ould  persuade  us 
that  our  Lord's  words,  (Matth.  vii.  13.)  are  no  longer  in  force  _; 
thut  the  way  to  the  kiijgdom,  in  our  happy  days,  is  broad,  syc- 


120  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Tfisiory.        Book  II, 

*'  into  the  kingdom  of  God."  After  this,  recommending 
the  new  converts  to  the  grace  and  care  of  the  Lord, 
in  whom  they  had  believed,  they  again  took  shipping, 
and  returned  to  Antioch  in  Syria.  Upon  their  arrival 
tliey  assembled  the  whole  church,  and  gave  them  a 
particular  account  of  all  that  the  Lord  had  done  for 
them,  and  Z»j/  them,  in  their  late  circuit,  [a.  d.  47. J 
This  is  the  news  which  believers  delight  to  relate  and 
hear.  The  traverses  of  policy,  or  the  events  of  war,  (the 
usual  topics  of  conversation,)  afford  them  but  little 
entertainment;  but  it  rejoices  their  hearts  to  be  in- 
formed of  new  accessions  to  the  Redeemer's  kingdom, 
and  to  see  how  his  wisdom  and  grace  triumph  over  all 
opposition. 

Hitherto  the  church  had  only  to  struggle  with  outward 
difficulties ;  but,  as  human  nature  is  always  the  same, 
and  the  apostolical  times  were  to  transmit  instruction 
to  the  people  of  God  in  every  succeeding  period,  mis- 
takes, disputes,  and  divisions  were,  by  degrees,  per- 
mitted to  take  place  among  professed  believers.  If  it 
had  not  been  so,  we  might  not  only  have  been  dis- 
couraged by  the  great  disparity  between  the  first  Chris- 
tians, and  those  who  have  lived  since ;  but,  for  want 

cious,  smooth,  and  thronged  by  multitudes,  (the  very  characters 
he  has  given  us  of  the  road  to  destruction.)  Such  teachers  and 
Avriters  are  little  aware  how  they  proclaim  their  own  ignorance. 
If  they  knew  the  spirit  of  enmity  which  the  world  bears  to  true 
Christianity — the  trials  with  which  the  Lord  A-isits  his  people,  to 
prove  and  exercise  their  faith — the  assaults  and  temptations  they 
endure  from  the  powers  of  darkness— the  griefs  they  feel  from 
a  sense  of  their  own  unfaithfulness  and  unfvuitfulness — the 
lightings  without,  and  fears  within,  which  arc  more  or  less  ex- 
perienced in  the  Christian  life — if  they  knew  these  things,  they 
would  speak  otherwise.  The  beaten  way  to  honours  and  pre- 
ferments, is,  perhaps,  free  iVom  these  tribulations  ;  but  not  £o 
the  way  that  will  lead  to  the  kingdom  of  God. 


Ghap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Ilisiorj/,  L^l 

of  rules   and  precedents  of  sufficient  authority,    we 
sliould  have  been  continually  at  a  loss  how  to  oppose 
and  confute  the  various  errors  which  have  appeared 
and  been  revived  during  so  many  centuries.  The  Divine 
Wisdom  therefore  thought  fit  to  suffer  every  false  and 
dangerous  notion,  whereby  the  enemy  of  souls  would 
at  any  time  attempt  to  corrupt  the  simplicity  of  the  faith, 
to  make  its  first  entrance  while  the  apostles  were  yet 
living,  that  we  might  have  their  instructions  and  ex- 
amples  to  guide  us  in  every  emergency.     However 
paradoxical  it  may  seem,  we  hope,  in  a  proper  place  to 
show,  that  no  new  opinion,  either  right  or  wrong,  re- 
specting the  faith  in  Christ,  has  been  started  since  the 
close  of  the  Scriptural  Canon.     As   the  Gospel,   that 
good  and  perfect  gift,  came  down  from  the  Father  of 
Light  complete,  and  has  received  no  amendment  from 
the  hands  through  which  it  has  successively  past, — so, 
on  the  other  hand,  the  grand  deceiver  exerted  all  his 
force  against  it,  and  availed  himself  of  all  his  influence 
onthe  ignorance  and  wickedness  of  men  from  the  very  be- 
ginning, and  has  no  subtile  devices  in  reserve  now,  hav- 
ing tried  his  utmost  resources  over  and  over.  It  is  true, 
length  of  time,  and  change  of  circumstances,  have  aftord- 
ed  him  opportunities  of  placing  his  delusions  in  various 
lights,  and  have  given  some  of  his  schemes  a  seeming 
strength  and  establishment  which  they  had  not  at  first ; 
but,  as  a  man  attained  to  his  full  stature  and  vigour,  is 
the  same  individual  person  that  was  once  an  infant, 
unable  to  stand  alone  ;  so  there  neither  is,  nor  has  been, 
any  erroneous  principle,   however  authorized  or  re- 
commended, or  perhaps  applauded  as  a  new  discovery 
by  those  who   are  ignorant  of  Scripture  or  antiquity, 
but  we  can,  from  express    passages  in  the  apostles' 
writings,    show  that  the  same  existed  in    their  time. 
Vol.  III.  Pv 


A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  II. 

though  in  a  more  feeble  and  infantile  state.  This  point 
we  are  to  illustrat"  more  at  large  hereafter;  at  present 
I  am  only  concerned  to  take  notice  of  a  dissention  that 
arose  among  the  believers  at  Antioch,  not  long  after 
the  return  of  Saul  and  Barnabas,  which  made  their 
presence  there  particularly  useful.  This  was  occasioned 
by  some  Judaizing  professors,  who  came  down  from 
Judea,  and  taught  the  Gentile  converts  that,  except 
they  were  circumcised  and  kept  the  law  of  Moses,  they 
could  not  be  saved.  This  dangerous  position,  arising 
from  a  misapprehension  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ, 
as  the  only  ground  of  a  sinner's  acceptance  with  God, 
and  tending  to  substitute  a  quicksand  for  the  foundation 
ot  hope,  instead  of  the  immoveable  rock  which  God 
has  laid  in  Zion,  was  warmly  opposed  by  these  apostles 
of  the  Gentiles.  They  had  a  double  conviction  of  its 
falsehood,  both  from  the  nature  of  the  faith  they  had 
received  themselves,  and  the  effects  of  the  Gospel  they 
had  imparted  to  others;  but  many  weaker  minds,  having 
less  experience  of  the  work  of  grace  in  their  own  hearts, 
and  less  acquaintance  with  what  the  Lord  had  wrought 
in  others,  were  staggered.  When,  therefore,  after  many 
debates,  the  point  was  not  settled  to  satisfaction,  it 
was  resolved  to  depute  Paul  and  Barnabas  to  consult 
the  apostles  and  elders  at  Jerusalem,  [a.  d.  49-]  If 
this,  (as  seems  probable,)  was  the  journey  St.  Paul  refers 
to,  Gal.  ii.  they  were  directed  to  take  this  step  by  the 
Spirit  of  God,  since  he  there  says  that  he  went  up  to 
Jerusalem  by,  or  in  consequence  of,  a  revelation.  They 
were  accompanied  by  some  brethren,  and  in  every 
place  where  they  found  believers,  they  comforted  them 
with  the  account  of  their  late  progress.  At  Jerusalem 
they  were  cordially  received;  and,  having  declared  the 
happy  fruits  of  their  preaching  to  the  Heathens,  though 


Chap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  123 

they  had  not  attempted  to  bind  them  to  the  Mosaic 
law,  they  proceeded  to  declare  the  tenet  which  had 
been  lately  advanced,  and  their  motives  for  opposing 
it.  They  soon  found  persons  of  the  same  legal  spirit, 
who  justified  and  repeated  the  obligation  of  the  cere- 
monial law  upon  all  who  embraced  the  Gospel.  Upon 
this,  a  particular  day  was  named  for  the  whole  assembly 
to  meet  and  discuss  the  question.  In  this  convention 
there  was  the  highest  room  to  expect  that  the  Spirit  of 
God  would  influence  their  resolves,  and  guard  them 
from  giving  their  sanction  to  an  error,  and  he  did  so ; 
yet  not  by  an  audible  voice  or  instantaneous  impulse, 
but  by  presiding  over  their  debates,  and  enabling  them, 
in  the  conclusion,  to  collect  and  pronounce  the  true 
state  of  the  question  with  infallible  evidence  and  cer- 
tainty. Here  again  it  is  plain  that  Peter  little  thought 
himself  entitled  to  that  supreme  prerogative,  as  the 
immediate  Vicar  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  his  pretended 
successors  falsely  ascribed  to  him  ;  nor  did  his  brethren 
remind  him  of  the  privilege,  otherwise  there  could  have 
been  no  debate,  for  his  declaration  would  have  been 
decisive ;  but,  waiving  the  claim  of  authority,  he  argued 
the  insignificance  of  the  Jewish  rites  as  to  salvation, 
from  the  Lord's  conduct  touards  Cornelius  and  his 
friends,  by  his  ministry.  Tiiese  were  the  first  Gentile 
converts,  and  in  this  instance,  he  said,  the  Lord  had 
fully  declared  his  mind,  making  no  difference  between 
Jew  and  Gentile,  purifying  their  hearts  by  faith  in  his 
blood,  and  imparting  to  them  those  substantial  blessings, 
of  which  the  ceremonial  law  exhibited  no  more  than 
the  shadow  ;  and  which,  in  comparison  of  the  liberty  of 
the  Gospel,  he  termed  an  unnecessary  yoke,  too  heavy 
to  be  borne.  The  assembly  then  kept  silence,  while 
Paul  and  Barnabas  related  more  at  large  the  fruits  of 


124f  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  II. 

their  late  mission  among  the  heathens.     The  conference 
was  closed,  and  the  determination  given,  not  by  Peter, 
but  by  James,  who  asserted  the  Gentiles'  freedom  from 
the  Jewish  yoke,   and   enjoined  them   only  to  abstain 
from  fornication,  from  things  offered  to  idols,  and  from 
blood.     The  two  latter  points  were  necessary,  to  pre- 
serve a  friendly  intercourse  between  the  Gentiles  and 
Jewish  converts,  so  lonji  as  these  were  indulged  in  ob- 
serving the  Levitical  institutions  ;  and  the  prohibition 
from  fornication,  though  immediately  belonging  to  the 
moral  law,  which  was  of  universal  obligation,  was  add- 
ed, to  give  the  Gentiles  a  deeper  sense  of  the  guilt  and 
evil  of  a  practice,  which  the  most  civilized  and  virtuous 
Heathens  considered  as  almost,  if  not  wholly,  innocent. 
This  sentence  was  generally  embraced  ;  and  a  letter 
to  the  same  effect  was  written  to  the  believers  at  An- 
tioch,  confirming  them   in  their  Christian  liberty.     In 
this  they  thought  it  a  sufficient  condemnation  of  the  op- 
posite opinion  to  say  they  had  given  no  such  command- 
ment :  a  protestation  the  apostles  might  have  often  re- 
peated, had  they  lived  to  this  day ;  but  since  their  ge- 
nuine writings  still  subsist,  we  may,  by  parity  of  reason, 
still  infer,  that  we  need  not  be  afraid  of  rejecting  any 
thing  that  is  enjoined  as  binding  upon  the  conscience,  if 
we  can  be  sure  that  the  apostles,  who  were  divinely  in- 
spired to  explain  the  Christian  faith  and  practice,  have 
given  us  no  precept  in  its  favour.     They  likewise  took 
care  to  assert  their  firm  persuasion,  that  their  decision 
was  agreeable  to  the  dictates  of  the  Holy  Spirit.     This 
convocation  has  generally  been  styled  tlie  Jij^st  Chris- 
tian council ;  but,   indeed,  when  we  compare  it  with 
those  which  bore  the  same  name  afterwards,  and  were 
professedly  formed  upon  this  precedent,  we  shall  be  al- 
most tempted  to  say,   it  was  not  only  i\\c  fn^st,  but 


CJiap.  1.        A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  ;125 

the  last.  Here  were  no  intrigues  practised,  no  tem- 
poral interests  consulted,  no  fierce  and  bloody  anathe- 
mas issued  to  give  a  sanction  to  persecution,  no  uncer-> 
tainty  or  animosity  in  the  issue  ;  but  the  affair  was  con- 
ducted with  freedom  and  moderation,  and  the  conclu- 
sion made  by  general  consent,  and  to  the  satisfaction 
of  both  parties  :  how  different  in  these  respects  from 
the  spirit  of  after-times !  But  though  this  answered 
the  end  in  the  present  case,  the  judgment  of  the  apos- 
tles was  not  entirely  obeyed,  even  while  they  lived. 
This  debate  was  revived  in  other  places,  and  proved 
a  frequent  impediment  to  the  peace  of  the  church,  so 
long,  at  least,  as  the  temple  and  worship  of  Jerusalem 
continued,  and  gave  St.  Paul  an  occasion  to  write  his 
epistle  to  the  Galatians  expressly  on  this  subject.  Na}-, 
it  seems,  the  mistake  still  subsisted  in  Judea,  though 
none  publicly  ventured  to  contradict  the  decree  when 
it  was  made.  For  when,  some  time  after,  Peter  went  to 
Antioch,  and  conversed*  freely  with  the  Gentile  con- 
verts living  after  their  manner  for  a  season  ;  yet,  Avhen 
some  brethren  came  down  from  Jerusalem,  he  was  so 
fearful  to  offend  them  in  this  matter,  that  he  separated 
himself  again  ;  and,  by  his  influence,  prevailed  on  Bar- 
nabas likewise  to  dissemble  in  favour  of  those  of  the  cir- 
cumcision. For  this  weak  compliance,  whereby  he 
seemed  to  overthrow  what  he  had  before  established, 
St.  Paul  withstood  him  to  his  face.  He  did  not  detract 
from  his  character,  by  insinuations  to  his  prejudice  be- 
hind his  back,  nor  did  he  content  himself  with  reproving 
him  in  secret ;  but,  as  their  offence  was  public,  tending 
to  confirm  the  Jews  in  the  bigotry,  and  to  offend  the 
weak  on  both  sides,  he  boldly   and   publicly  rebuked 

*  Gal.  ii.  11. 


120  A  Revleiv  of  Ecclesiastical  History,        Boole  II. 

him  before  them  all.  Strange  weakness,  incident  to  the 
best  of  men,  that  Peter,  who  had  first  laid  aside  his 
prejudices,  who  had  visited  the  Gentiles  by  divine  di- 
rection, had  seen  the  happy  effects  of  his  compliance, 
and  vindicated  his  own  conduct  so  unanswerably  upon 
a  late  occasion,  should  now  shrink  and  trifle,  expose 
himself  and  grieve  his  brethren,  through  fear  of  those 
who  came  from  Jerusalem !  To  be  delivered  from  the 
fear  of  man,  is  a  deliverance  indeed  !  It  w  as  happy  for 
Peter  that  he  had,  in  his  brother  Paul,  a  faithful  friend, 
who,  by  a  few  well-timed  words,  broke  the  chain,  and 
set  him  at  liberty.  It  is  surprising  that  any  who  have 
read  this  passage  should  dream  of  fixing  on  Peter, 
above  any  other  of  the  apostles,  to  be  the  supreme  and 
infallible  head  of  the  Christian  church. 

Justus  and'Silas,  two  of  the  brethren,  were  sent  with 
Barnabas  and  Paul,  to  accompany  the  letter,  and  to 
declare  the  purport  of  it  more  at  large.  They  were 
gladly  received  at  Antioch,  and  not  only  confirmed  the 
peace  of  the  church,  but  were  further  helpful  to  their 
faith,  by  the  singular  gifts  with  which  the  Lord  had  ho- 
noured them.  In  a  little  time  Justus  returned  to  Jeru- 
salem ;  but  Silas  chose  to  continue  longer,  and  was  af- 
terwards the  constant  companion  of  St.  Paul  in  his 
travels. 

A.  D.  50.]  This  obstacle  being  removed,  the  Gospel 
flourished  greatly  at  Antioch.  But,  amidst  all  their 
services  and  success  there,  Paul  and  Barnabas  could 
not  forget  the  converts  they  had  left  in  Cyprus  and  Asia 
Minor  ;  they  proposed  therefore  to  make  them  a  second 
visit,  to  comfort  them,  and  to  see  how  the  work  had 
prospered  in  their  absence.  But  a  difficulty  was  started 
concerning  John,  surnamed  Mark,  who  had  formerly 
left  them  at  Perga,  and,  having  probably  repented  of 


Chap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  127 

his  irresolution,  was  now  desirous  to  proceed  with  them 
again.  Paul  warmly  opposed  this,  thinking  him  highly 
culpable  for  his  inconstancy,  and,  perhaps,  too  much 
influenced  against  him  by  a  spirit  of  resentment  not 
wholly  excusable.  On  the  other  hand,  Barnabas  under- 
took his  apology ;  in  which,  besides  his  tenderness  to 
his  fault,  he  seems  to  have  been  moved  by  considera- 
tions which  ought  to  have  no  place  where  the  service  of 
God  is  concerned.  John  was  his  sister's  son,  and  this 
led  him  to  consider  his  conduct  in  the  most  favourable 
light.  Thus  they  were  both  a  little  partial  in  the  cause, 
but  much  more  wrong  in  the  issue ;  for  the  contention 
became  so  sharp  between  them,  that  it  broke  their  har- 
mony. They  «L'etermined  to  part :  accordingly  Barna- 
bas took  ]\Iark,  (whose  company  he  had  dearly  pur- 
chased by  the  loss  of  Paul's,)  and  sailed  to  Cyprus,  his 
native  place ;  and  Paul,  choosing  Silas  in  his  room, 
went  through  Syria  and  Cilicia,  being  recommended  to 
the  Lord  by  the  prayers  of  the  brethren.  So  that  their 
former  work  was  now  divided  between  them. 

I  must  venture  to  digress  here  a  little,  for  the  sake  of 
two  remarks,  of  which  the  course  of  our  history  may 
often  remind  the  reader.  1.  How  small  an  occasion 
will  discover  human  infirmity,  even  in  the  brightest 
characters !  Not  all  the  graces  of  Paul  and  Barnabas, 
nor  the  remembrance  of  the  services  and  difficulties  they 
had  jointly  experienced,  nor  the  importance  of  the  com- 
mon cause  in  which  they  were  engaged,  nor  the  fear  of 
giving  offence  to  the  world  and  to  the  church,  could 
restrain  these  dear  friends,  fellow- labourers,  and  fel- 
low-sufi'erers,  from  contending  and  separating  about  a 
trifle.  2.  How  wise  is  the  over-ruling  providence  of 
God,  permitting  such  things  for  the  trial  of  some,  the 


128  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Histort/.         Book  II. 

instruction  of  others,  and  the  better  carrying  on  his  own 
designs  !  In  succeeding  revivals  of  religion,  the  like 
differences*  have  sometimes  taken  place  among  the 
main  instruments,  and  from  as  trivial  causes ;  and 
though  they  have  not  obtained  without  fault  in  some, 
and  inconvenience  to  many,  yet  the  event  has  proved 
them  no  hindrance  upon  the  whole.  The  work  has  be- 
come more  diffusive,  and  more  incontestable,  when 
persons  of  different  tempers,  sentiments,  and  talents, 
who  seemed,  to  superficial  observers,  as  the  heads  of 
different  parties,  have  laboured  with  equal  zeal  and  suc- 
cess in  advancing  the  one  great  design  of  the  GospeL 
As  a  skilful  gardener  raises  many  plants  in  a  little  spot 
of  ground,  and  removes  them  afterwards  to  places 
where  they  will  have  more  room  to  grow  and  flourish : 
so  they,  who  are  designed  for  extensive  usefulness,  are 
often  first  reared  within  a  little  compass,  within  the 
sight  and  knowledge  of  each  other,  where  they  are  shel- 
tered and  strengthened,  while  tender^  by  their  mutual 
advices,  prayers,  and  examples,  and  seem  to  have 
only  one  heart  and  one  mind  ;  but  were  they  always 
to  continue  thus  closely  connected,  no  one  would  have 
room  to  expand  according  to  the  measure  of  gifts  and 
services  which  the  Lord  has  appointed  them  ;  therefore 
they  are  thinned  and  transplanted  :  either  persecutions 
from    without,    or   weakness,    mistakes    or  jealousies 

*  To  mention  only  one  by  anticipation — the  unhappy  dispute 
between  Luther  and  Zuinglivis,  and  their  respective  followers, 
concerning  the  words — "  This  is  my  body."  The  diflerencc  be- 
tween them  was  little  more  than  imaginary ;  but  the  mischiefs 
it  occasioned  were  real,  important,  and  numerous,  and  would, 
probably,  have  stifled  the  Reformation  in  its  birth,  if  it  had  not 
been  so  remarkably  under  an  Almighty  protection. 


Chap.  J.  A  Revieio  of  Ecclesiastical  Hutory.  129 

among  themselves,  scatter  them  afar,  to  places  and 
undertakings  they  had  no  thoughts  of,  and  which  would 
not  have  been  otherwise  attempted. 

The  apostle  Paul,  with  his  companion*  Silas,  pro- 
ceeded, (as  has  been  mentioned,)  through  Syria  and  Ci- 
licia,  to  the  parts  he  had  formerly  visited.  When  he 
came  to  Lystra,  he  chose  Timothy  for  his  associate  and 
companion  in  his  journey,  who,  it  is  probaI)le,  had  been 
converted  by  his  ministry,  and  a  witness  to  his  suffer- 
ings for  the  Gospel,  when  he  was  there  before.  Timo- 
thy was  of  Jewish  extract  by  the  mother's  side,  and 
carefully  educated,  from  his  infancy,  in  the  knowledge 
of  the  Scriptures ;  but  his  father  was  a  Greek.  This 
circumstance  being  generally  known  to  the  Jews,  and 
likely  to  render  him  less  acceptable  among  them,  Paul, 
to  obviate  their  prejudices,  directed  him  to  be  circum- 
cised ;  thus  showing  his  readiness  to  become  all  things 
to  all  men,  so  far  as  was  consistent  with  a  good  con- 
science, and  conducive  to  edification  ;  for  though,  when 
the  observance  of  the  Mosaic  law  was  insisted  on  as 
necessary  to  salvation,  he  steadily  opposed  it,  and  would 
not  admit  the  least  addition  to  the  doctrine  of  free  jus- 
tification by  the  blood  of  Christ,  he  was  willing  to  per- 
mit it  to  the  Jewish  converts  in  their  present  situation, 
and  to  accommodate  himself  to  their  weakness,  for  their 
advantage.  He  had  before  withstood  the  circumcision 
of  Titus,  (who  was  a  Gentile,)  when  it  was  urged,  as  a 
necessary  point ;  but  now  that  debate  was  settled  in  fa- 
vour of  Gospel  liberty,  he  proposed  the  circumcision  of 
Timothy  himself.  The  seeming  inconsistence  of  his 
conduct  vanishes,  if  the  ditference  of  the  two  cases  is 
rightly  understood  :  but  those  who  act  from  the  most 

*  Acts  xvi. 

Vol.  hi.  S 


130  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book.  II. 

enlarged  principles,  who  know  when  and  in  what  points 
resolution  is  necessary,  and  when  and  how  far  it  is  ex- 
pedient to  yield  to  others,  will  always  be  thought  in- 
constant and  inconsistent  by  the  zealots  of  parties.  In 
the  course  of  his  progress,  he  delivered  in  every  city, 
the  decree  lately  determined  in  Jerusalem,  M'hich, 
though  primarily  directed  to  Antioch,  was  of  equal 
force,  as  a  rule  and  bond  of  peace,  in  all  places  where 
there  were  both  Jewish  and  Gentile  converts.  Thus 
having  Avatered  his  former  planting,  he  proceeded  to 
preach  in  Phrygia  and  Galatia.  The  route  of  the  Gos- 
pel was  directed  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  who  restrained 
the  apostle  from  entering  the  province  which  is  called, 
by  way  of  distinction,  the  Proconsular  Asia,  of  which 
Ephesus  was  the  capital ;  not  that  this  country  was  to 
be  excluded  from  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  for  St. 
Paul  preached  in  many*  parts  of  it  afterwards  with 
great  success ;  but  the  proper  season  was  not  yet  come, 
the  Lord  having  an  important  service  for  them  first  in 
another  place.  For  the  same  reason,  and  by  the  same 
influence,  they  were  prevented  going  into  13ithinia, 
which  they  had  some  thoughts  of  attempting.  Thus, 
in  a  manner  undetermined  where  they  were  to  labour, 
they  came  to  Troas,  a  sea-port  in  the  Archipelago;  and 
when  their  journey  was  now  bounded  by  the  sea,  they 
received  a  further  intimation  of  the  Lord's  will,  and 
found  that  he  had  been  leading  them  in  the  right  way, 
for  they  were  brought  to  a  port  proper  for  embark- 
ing to  the  place  where  the  Lord  had  designed  to  send 
them. 

A.  D.  51.]    Here  St.  Paul  had  a  vision  by  night,  of 
a  man  standing  by  him,  whose  garb  and  expression  in- 

*  See  Acts  xix.  10. 


Chap.  1.        A  Revieio  of  Eoclesiasdcal  History.  131 

timated  his  country,  and  entreating  him,  saying,  Com.e 
over  into  Macedonia,  and  help  us.  This  vision  was 
attended  with  such  circumstances,  as  left  no  room  to 
doubt  either  its  origin  or  meaning;  so  that,  when  he 
had  communicated  it  to  his  companions,  they  assuredly 
collected  that  the  Lord  called  them  into  Macedonia. 
Accordingly  they  took  shipping,  and  having  a  favourable 
wind,  they  soon  arrived  at  Neapolis  ;  from  whence  they 
proceeded  by  land  to  Philippi,  a  place  of  note,  and  a 
Roman  colony.  Their  preaching  and  continuance  in 
this  city,  which,  in  time,  became  the  seat  of  a  flourish- 
ing church,  was  productive  of  several  interesting  and 
important  events. 

On  the  sabbath  day,  they  went  out  of  the  city,  to  a 
place  by  the  river  side,  (a  usual  resort  of  the  Jews  for 
the  exercise  of  public  prayer ;)  where,  meeting  with 
some  women,  (as  it  should  seem,)  before  the  rest  were 
assembled,  they  spake  freely  of  the  great  subject  which 
was  always  uppermost  in  their  hearts  and  mouths.  One 
of  them,  named  Lydia,  a  native  of  Thyatira,  and  then 
resident  at  Philippi,  gave  a  peculiar  attention  to  St. 
Paul's  discourse :  the  reason  is  assigned ;  the  Lord 
opened  her  heart.  The  rest  heard  the  same  words  ; 
but  the  hearts  of  all  are  dull,  contracted,  and  averse  to 
spiritual  truths  ;  so  that,  without  a  divine  interposition, 
the  most  powerful  speakers  speak  in  vain.  Lydia  heard 
to  good  purpose ;  she  believed,  and  was  immediately 
baptized,  with  her  family,  and  gladly  received  the  mes- 
sengers of  Gospel  grace  into  her  house. 

Continuing  to  preach  in  this  place  so  long  as  they  re- 
mained at  Philippi,  they  were  often  met  by  a  young 
woman  under  the  influence  of  an  evil  spirit,  who,  as 
they  passed  by,  cried  after  them,  These  men  are  the 
servants  of  the  Most  High  God,  who  declare  unto  us 


132  A  Review  of  E(*clesiasiical  Histort/.         Book  IT. 

the  way  of  salvation  ;  in  like  manner  as  the  demoniacs 
had  sometimes  confessed  our  Saviour's  authority  and 
mission.     It  may  seem  strange  that  an  evil  spirit  should 
testify  in  favour  of  the  preachers  of  the  Gospel ;  but, 
perhaps,  it   was  either  to  make  them  suspected  of  a 
confederacy,  or  to  draw  them  into  a  snare.    However, 
when  this  had  been  often  repeated,  St.  Paul,  who  could 
not  bear  to  be  spoken  well  of  by  a  spirit  which  was  not 
of  God,  commanded  him,  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  to  quit 
his  possession.     The  spirit,    compelled   to   obey,   left 
the  woman  instantly ;  but  this  opened  a  way  to  give 
them  disturbance  in  another  manner.     Her  masters,  to 
whom  she  had  formerly  brought  great  profit  by  her  di- 
vining talent,  finding  she  was  no  longer  willing  or  able 
to  procure  them  advantage  by  that  means,  apprehended 
Paul  and  Silas,  as  the  chief  instruments  of  their  loss, 
and  brought  them  before  the  magistrates,  with  the  heavy 
charge,  (which  is  usually  revived  when  the  preaching  of 
the  Gospelinterferes  with  the  vie"\vs  of  interest,)  that  they 
exceedingly  disturbed  the  peace  of  the  city,  by  attempt- 
ing innovations  contrary  to  the  established  religion  : 
they  styled  them  Jews  to  the  Romans,  on  account  of 
their  open  abhorrence  of  idol  worship,  which  was  care- 
fully supported  by  the  Roman  laws  and  customs.   The 
unthinking  multitude  soon  joined  in  the  alarm  ;  and  the 
magistrates,  easily  prejudiced  by  the  terms  of  the  accu- 
sation, instead  of  acting  as  impartial  judges,  declared 
themselves  parties  in  the  afTair.     Without  examining 
into  particulars,  they  violently  tore  off  the  clothes  of 
Paul  and  Silas,  and,  having  caused  them  to  be  beat 
with  many  stripes,  they  cast  them  into  prison,  giving 
the  jailer  a  particular  charge  to  keep  them  safely.  This 
command  was  executed  with  severity  :  he  thrust  them 
into  tlie  inner  prison,  and  fastened  their  feet  in  the 


Chap.  1.         A  Review  of  Eccl^iastical  Hisloif.  I3§ 

stocks.  But  no  walls  or  dungeons  can  exclude  those 
comforts  of  God's  Spirit,  which  are  promised  to  those 
who  suffer  for  righteousness  sake,  and  which  are  able 
to  overpower  the  sense  of  every  inconvenience.  Paul 
and  Silas  were  so  little  discomposed  by  this  cruel  treat- 
ment, that  they  joyfully  sung  hymns  of  praise  to  God, 
and  were  heard  by  the  other  prisoners  ;  >\  ho,  probably, 
were  surprised  at  the  cheerfulness  they  expressed  in 
such  circumstances.  But  they  were  surprised  much 
more  at  the  testimony  the  Lord  immediately  gave  in 
behalf  of  his  servants :  for,  while  they  were  thus  en- 
gaged, on  a  sudden  the  earth  trembled  ;  the  very  foun- 
dations of  the  prison  were  shaken,  so  that  all  the  doors 
flew  open,  and  every  one's  fetters  and  bonds  were  in- 
stantly loosed.  The  noise  awakened  the  jailer  ;  who, 
supposing  the  prisoners  were  all  escaped,  and  dread- 
ing the  consequences,  in  the  first  transports  of  his  ter- 
ror, drew  his  sword  to  slay  himself;  for  so  the  false 
wisdom  of  the  Heathens,  ignorant  of  the  awful  realities 
beyond  the  grave,  taught  men  to  avoid  the  pressure  of 
present  troubles  by  desperately  plunging  themselves 
into  an  unknown  eternity.  But  St.  Paul,  though  in  an- 
other part  of  the  prison,  and  in  the  dark,  was  made  ac- 
quainted with  his  purpose,  and  called  out  to  him,  with 
a  loud  voice,  "  Do  thyself  no  harm,  we  are  all  here  !" 
It  increased  his  surprise  to  find  that  his  design  was 
made  known  to  them,  and  that  those  whom  he  had 
treated  so  hardly  should  forget  all  their  wrongs,  and  in- 
terest themselves  in  his  preservation.  Such  an  instance 
of  forgiveness  and  tenderness  to  an  enemy  deeply  af- 
fected him,  and  convinced  him  of  the  wrong  he  had 
done  them,  more  forcibly  than  the  sharpest  expostula- 
tions could  have  done.  This  is,  indeed,  the  peculiar  tri- 
umph of  a  Christian^  to  overcome  evil  with  good.     He 


134  -^  Rcvk'ii)  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  II. 

immediately  called  for  lights,  and,  in  agony  of  guilt  and 
terror,  sprung  in,  and  cast  himself  at  the  feet  of  those 
over  whom  he  had  so  lately  tyrannized.  After  this  ex- 
pression of  his  respect  and  compunction  for  the  injury 
he  had  done  them,  he  brought  them  out,  and  addressed 
them  with  that  question,  of  the  last  importance  to  every 
awakened  soul,  "  Sirs,  what  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?" 
Paul  and  Silas,  who  had  but  one  answer  to  this  ques- 
tion, suited  to  every  rank  of  life,  and  to  sinners  of 
every  degree,  directed  him  to  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  as  the  only  and  infallible  means  of  salvation. 
This  faith  the  Lord  was  pleased  to  give  :  so  that,  when 
he  had  brought  them  to  his  house,  and  heard  them  ex- 
plain the  doctrine  more  at  large,  he  believed,  and  was 
baptized,  with  all  his  family.  L^pon  this,  his  sorrow 
was  turned  into  permanent  joy ;  and  now  it  appeared 
why  the  Lord  had  permitted  his  servants  to  be  thus 
rudely  handled.  Amongst  other  reasons,  it  was  on  the 
account  of  this  jailer,  who  would  otherwise  have  re- 
mained a  stranger  to  the  Gospel,  if  the  Lord,  in  the 
unsearchable  riches  of  his  mercy,  had  not  thus  sent  it 
to  him,  and,  by  the  concurrent  dispensations  of  his  pro- 
vidence, disposed  him  to  receive  it  with  thankfulness, 
as  life  from  the  dead.  It  likewise  proved  the  vanity  of 
all  attempts  to  suppress  the  truth.  The  magistrates 
and  people  abused  the  preachers,  and  put  them  in  pri- 
son ;  but  the  effect  was  quite  contrary  to  their  inten- 
tions ;  for  by  this  means  the  jailer,  the  instrument  of 
their  cruelty,  with  his  household,  were  converted  ;  and 
thus  the  apostle's  enemies,  through  the  over-ruling  hand 
of  God,  became  subservient  to  his  design,  and  helped 
him  to  some  of  the  first  members  of  his  new  church. 

The  jailer,  thus  made  partaker  of  the  faith,  expressed 
his  gratitude  to  his  prisoners  ;  he  washed  their  stripes. 


Chap.  1,         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  135 

and  set  meat  before  them,  and  was  soon  freed  from 
any  suspense  on  their  account;  for,  in  the  morning,  the 
magistrate  sent  hirr  orders  to  dismiss  them  from  con- 
finement. But  St.  Paul  was  willing  to  let  them  know 
that  they  had  failed  in  their  duty,  and  acted  against 
those  very  laws  and  customs,  of  which,  as  Romans, 
they  professed  to  be  so  tenacious.  A  citizen  of  Rome 
was  not  liable  to  bonds  or  scourging,  and  a  subject  of 
Rome,  though  not  a  citizen,  could  not  be  legally  pun- 
ished till  he  had  been  permitted  to  answer  his  accusers 
face  to  face,  (Acts  xxv.  16.)  The  apostle  was  injured 
in  both  these  respects  ;  they  had  punished  him  without 
trial,  and  they  had  bound  and  beat  hiin,  though  he  was 
a  Iloman  :  he  therefore  asserted  his  privilege.  He 
might  have  insisted  on  satisfaction ;  but  he  was  a 
Christian,  a  willing  disciple  of  a  suffering  Saviour ;  he 
had  been  once  a  persecutor  himself,  and  had  obtained 
forgiveness ;  therefore,  he  found  it  easy  to  forgive.  His 
remonstrance  made  the  magistrates  willing  to  submit  to 
his  terms ;  they  came  tliemselves,  and  honourably  dis- 
missed their  prisoners,  entreating  them  that,  to  prevent 
further  inconveniences,  they  would  withdraw  from  the 
city ;  which  they  did,  after  they  had  taken  leave  of 
Lydia  and  tlie  other  disciples. 

A.  D.  52.]  From  hence,  passing  throucrh  Amphipo* 
lis  and  ApoUonia,  they  came  to  Thessalonica,  the  resi- 
dence of  the  Roman  governor.  Here  Paul,  according 
to  his  usual  custom,  applying  himself  first  to  the  Jews, 
discoursed  and  I'easoned  with  them  in  their  synao-oo^uc 
three  successive  sabbaths,  out  of  their  own  Scriptures, 
opening  *  the  true  sense  of  the  prophecies  concerning 

*  Acts  xvii.  3.  "  Opening  and  alleging  :"  first  explaining  the 
true  sense  of  the  passage,  and  then  laying  down  plain  and  unde- 
niable deductions  from  it,  applicable  to  the  case  in  hand.    Thus 


136  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  TI. 

the  Messiah,  and  then  showing  their  accomplishment  in 
the  person  of  Jesus.  His  labour  was  not  wholly  in 
vain  ;  some  of  them  believed  and  became  disciples;  but 
the  rest,  and  the  greater  part,  discovered  the  indigna- 
tion and  enmity  of  their  hearts  against  the  truth.  Un- 
der such  leaders,  the  unthinking  rabble  are  easily  insti- 
gated to  do  mischief,  so  that  they  found  no  difficulty  to 
raise  a  tumultuous  mob,  who  assaulted  the  house  of 
Jason,  where  Paul  and  Silas  resided ;  but  not  finding 
them  there,  they  forced  away  Jason,  and  some  of  the 
new  believers,  before  the  magistrates.  The  accusation 
was,  that  the  preachers  of  the  Gospel,  who,  from  the 
effect  of  their  doctrine  in  disturbing  the  false  peace  of 
sin,  began  to  be  sufficiently  described,  when  spoken  of, 
as*  men  who  turned  the  world  upside  down,  and  threw 
all  into  confusion  wherever  they  appeared,  were  come 
thither  also ;  that  Jason  had  received  and  counte- 
nanced them ;  and  that  their  fundamental  tenets  were 
inconsistent  with  obedience  to  government,  since  they 

much  is  implied  in  the  Greek  words,  Atavor/wv  >ca*  7r«fa/r*G sp.voj.  A 
proper  model  for  preachers,  and  writers  in  divinity.  How  many 
controversies  would  cease,  how  much  time  would  be  redeemed, 
how  many  offences  would  be  avoided,  if  it  was  universally  fol- 
lowed ;  if  the  Scriptures  were  explained  in  their  true  sense  and 
connexion,  and  nothing  advanced  but  what  could  be  fcurly  de- 
duced from  such  an  explanation  ? 

*  It  is  still  thought  a  sufficient  and  unanswerable  objection  a- 
^ainst  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  to  say,  These  opinions  cause 
divisions  and  separations,  and  break  the  peace  of  families  and 
communities.  We  may  bring  the  point  to  a  short  issue.  Did  our 
Lord  foretel  this  as  one  sure  and  perpetual  consequence  that 
would  attend  the  prevalence  of  his  Gospel,  or  did  he  not  I  If  he 
did  not,  what  is  the  meaning  of  Matth.  x.  34—36  I  If  he  did, 
then  by  what  name  are  we  to  call  that  manner  of  preaching  which 
has  eitlier  no  tendency  or  no  power  to  disturb  the  Talsc  and  dan- 
ge»ous  peace  of  a  wicked  world  ? 


Chap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastkal  History.  IST 

professed  and  inculcated  subjection  to  one  Jesus,  whom 
they  styled  their  king.  By  such  misrepresentations  the 
enemies  of  the  Gospel  doctrine  have  often  aimed  to 
render  it  obnoxious  to  the  civil  powers.  The  rulers 
were  alarmed  at  this  accusation ;  but,  being  unwilling 
to  proceed  to  extremities,  though  obliged  to  take  some 
notice  of  what  seemed  to  affect  the  interest  of  Caesar, 
they  took  sufficient  security  of  Jason  and  the  rest  for 
their  good  behaviour,  and  dismissed  them  without  fur- 
ther trouble.  In  the  mean  time  Paul  and  Silas,  against 
whom  the  violence  had  been  chiefly  intended,  were  sent 
safely  away  by  the  brethren  to  Berea ;  where,  regard- 
less of  their  past  dangers  and  sufferings,  they  pursued 
their  endeavours  to  recommend  the  Gospel  to  the  Jews; 
and  in  this  place  they  met  with  a  friendly  reception.  It 
is  said  the  Bereans  were  more  noble  than  those  of  Thes- 
salonica ;  for  to  be  open  to  conviction  and  information 
is  the  mark  of  a  noble  mind  :  they  w^ere  of  a  more  free 
and  ingenuous  temper,  not  slaves  to  the  fear  of  man  or 
the  power  of  prejudice ;  they  heard  with  candour,  and 
examined  the  Scriptures  themselves  to  find  the  truths 
The  Gospel  of  Christ  is  suited  to  give  the  fullest  satis- 
faction to  inquirers  of  this  spirit ;  accordingly  many 
of  them  believed.  But  when  the  Jews  of  Thessalonica 
were  informed  of  this,  they  followed  Paul  thither,  with 
a  view  to  repeat  the  part  they  had  acted  in  their  own 
city ;  but  they  came  too  late.  Paul  had  already  planted 
the  Gospel,  and  leaving  Silas  and  Timothy,  who  were 
less  obnoxious,  to  remain  a  little  longer  with  the  bre- 
thren, he  was  conducted  first  towards  the  sea,  to  elude 
the  attempts  of  his  enemies,  and  afterwards  to  Athens, 
a  city,  which,  for  its  eminence  in  literature  and  all  the 
polite  arts,  was  styled,  by  general  consent,  The  seat  of 

the  Jlliises. 

Vol.  III.  T 


13S  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History'        Book  IT. 

While  the  apostle  waited  at  Athens  for  the  arrival  of 
Silas  and  Timothy,  his  spirit  was  inflamed  with  a 
lively  concern  for  the  honour  of  God  and  the  welfare 
of  souls.  It  grieved  him  to  see  a  city  so  famed  for  re- 
finement and  philosophy,  wholly  given  to  idolatry  ;  and, 
with  respect  to  the  most  important  concerns  of  life, 
quite  upon  a  level  with  the  most  ignorant  barbarians. 
St.  Paul  is  generally  allowed,  by  those  who  will  allow 
him  little  else,  to  have  been  a  man  of  taste  and  letters. 
He  was  now  at  Athens,  the  school  of  philosophy,  and 
centre  of  the  fine  arts :  painting,  statuary,  architecture, " 
and  elegance,  appeared  in  every  quarter ;  but  the  affect- 
ing observation  he  had  made  of  the  state  of  the  inha- 
bitants so  filled  his  mind,  that  he  could  take  little  no- 
tice of  any  thing  else.  To  those  who  understand  the 
nearness  and  importance  of  an  eternal  state,  the  highest 
improvements  of  unsanctified  reason  afford  little  more 
entertainment  than  the  trivial  sports  of  children,  or  the 
more  wretched  amusements  of  lunatics.  He  was  so 
struck  with  the  ignorance,  superstition,  and  wickedness 
of  the  people,  that  he  could  relish  none  of  the  beauties 
of  the  place  ;  but,  full  of  a  difVerent  emotion,  compas- 
sionately laboured  to  inspire  them  with  true  wisdom. 
He  w^as  soon  encountered  by  the  Epicurean  and  Stoic 
philosophers,  the  respective  advocates  for  those  prin- 
ciples of  pleasure  and  pride,  to  one  or  the  other  of 
which  all  men  are  enslaved,  till  the  Gospel  sets  them 
free.  Here,  in  some  measure,  accommodating  himself 
to  the  prevailing  taste,  he  reasoned  with  the  reasoners, 
and  silenced  the  wise  men  of  the  world,  in  their  own 
way,  by  dint  of  argument:  but  the  contest  was  unequal; 
their  syllogisms  soon  failed  them,  and  they  were  forced 
to  retreat  to  their  last  refuge,  an  affected  wit  and  rail- 
lery.    Unable  to  answer  the  force  of  his  discourses, 


Chap.  1.         A  Beview  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  139 

they  triumphed  without  a  victory,  and  expressed  their 
contempt  of  him  and  his  doctrine  by  a  word  of  the 
lowest  and  most  despicable  signification,  which  our 
version  not  improperly  renders,  a  babbler ;  but  perhaps 
no  term  in  our  language  can  sufficiently  express  the 
poignancy  of  the  original.  Others  so  entirely  mistook 
the  state  of  the  question,  that  they  thought  he  was  a 
publisher  or  setter  forth  of  strange  gods.  They  thought 
that  Jesus  and  the  resurrection  were  deities  they  had 
not  before  heard  of;  and  his  discourse  always  turning 
upon  these  topics,  they  concluded,  (indeed  with  reason,) 
that  his  only  business  and  desire  was  to  proclaim  to  all, 
the  Divinity  whom  he  worshipped.  And  it  is  no 
wonder  that,  from  a  half- attention  to  his  words,  they 
should  be  induced  to  personify  the  Resurrection  as  a 
deity,  since  the  Heathens  had  altars  erected  not  only 
to  Honour,  Virtue,  and  Liberty,  but  to  the  vices  and 
disorders  of  human  nature,  such  as  Fear,  Shame, 
Famine,  and  Fevers. 

This  weak  mistake  gave  occasion  to  summon  him  be- 
fore the  council  who  bore  the  name  of  Areopagus,  or 
the  Hill  of  Mars,  from  the  place  where  they  met ;  an 
assembly  in  high  estimation  for  authority  and  wisdom, 
and  whose  particular  office  it  was  to  superintend  the 
public  religion,  and  preserve  it  from  innovation.  It 
does  not  appear,  however,  that  he  underwent  a  form- 
al trial  before  them.  His  opponents  seemed  rather 
disposed  to  gratify  their  curiosity  than  their  malice  ; 
their  politeness,  perhaps,  made  them  something  averse 
to  the  severer  forms  of  persecution,  and  content  with 
the  less  invidious,  (though  to  many  not  less  formidable,) 
methods  of  scorn  and  ridicule.  Their  prevailing  pas- 
sion was  the  love  of  novelty  ;  they  spent  their  time  in 
telling  or  hearing  some  new,  or,  as  the  Greek  expresses 


146  A  Hevieio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  11. 

it,  some  newer  thing.  The  expected  news  lost  its  relish 
the  moment  it  was  known,  and  they  were  always  in 
search  of  something  we7tY7'  still;  therefore  the  Gospel, 
though  the  strangest,  as  well  as  the  most  important 
news  they  had  ever  met  with,  could  not  engage  such 
volatile  minds;  while  it  wasthe  np»ver  thing,  the  freshest 
news,  they  were  content  to  listen,  but  as  soon  as  they 
■were  satisfied  what  it  was,  they  wanted  to  hear  some- 
thing else.  The  apostle  no  where  met  with  so  little 
success  as  amongst  this  polite,  learned,  ignorant  people; 
and  wherever  this  Athenian  spirit  prevails,  it  retards 
the  success  of  the  Gospel  more  than  all  the  arts  and 
violence  of  persecution. 

The  discourse  of  the  apostle  on  this  occasion,  is 
equally  a  standard  of  fine  address  and  of  just  reason- 
ing. He  had  observed  their  religious  rites  and  worship 
with  attention,  and  had  selected  from  among  their 
numerous  altars,  the  one  which  was  most  fit  for  his 
purpose.  The  beauty  of  his  exordium  is  obscured  by 
the  expression,  "  too  superstitious,"  in  our  version.  The 
Greek  word  to  which  it  answers  is  ambiguous,  and 
suited  to  bespeak  a  favourable  hearing,  rather  than  im- 
porting an  abrupt  reproof;  q.  d.  "  I  perceive,  indeed, 
"  Athenians,  that  you  are  observant  of  the  invisible 
*'  powers  in  an  unusual  manner,  for  besides  the  variety 
"  of  temples  and  altars  which  you  have  in  common  with 
"  other  cities  of  Greece,  I  observed  one  with  a  peculiar 
"  inscription, — '  To  the  unknown  God :'  this  God,  as  yet 
^'  unknown  to  you,  is  he  whom  I  serve,  and  the  new 
'^*  doctrine,  of  which  you  ask  me,  relates  to  his  will  and 
"  worship."  This  was  the  most  happy  and  pertinent 
medium  to  enlarge  from  that  could  be  imagined.  The 
Athenians,  always  eager  to  hear  some  newer  thing,  ex- 
pected an  account  of  new  deities^  but  Paul  referred 


Chap.  1.        A  Hevieii)  of  Eccles'mitical  History, 

them  to  an  altar  and  inscription  among  themselves, 
which,  merely  by  being  obvious,  had  escaped  their  re- 
flection. It  is  to  be  feared  that  this  observation  and 
inscription  may  suit  the  devotions  of  many  who  think 
themselves  Christians.  The  same  address  is  visible  in 
his  whole  argument.  To  the  Jews  he  quoted  the  books 
of  the  Holy  Scripture,  but  with  these  Heathens  he  ap- 
pealed to  the  volume  of  creation,  and  argued  from  the 
impresses  of  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness,  everywhere 
displayed  before  their  eyes,  the  excellence  and  inde- 
pendence of  their  great  Author,  how  little  he  stood  in 
need  of  men,  and  how  unworthy  of  his  Divine  Majesty 
all  their  laborious  inventions  were,  while  the}'  thought 
to  honour  him  by  worshipping  the  works  of  their  own 
hands  :  he  asserted  the  providence  and  omnipresence 
of  God,  that  he  was  the  fountain  of  life  and  all  its  com- 
forts, the  supreme  disposer  of  all  events,  and  the  com- 
mon father  of  mankind ;  confirming  this  part  of  his 
doctrine  by  a  quotation  from  Aratus,  one  of  their  own 
poets.  He  afterwards  proceeded  to  the  topics  of  reve- 
lation, a  resurrection  to  future  life,  and  a  final  judg- 
ment by  the  man  Christ  Jesus.  It  would  require  too 
much  room  to  point  out  particularly  the  spirit,  pro- 
priety, and  evidence  of  this  short  sermon.  But  no 
oratory  or  reasoning  can  change  the  heart.  The  effect 
was  the  same  as  may  be  observed  amongst  ourselves, 
when  much  inferior  instruments  declare  the  truths  of 
God  :  some  mocked,  and  accounted  this  wisdom  the 
merest  folly ;  others,  pleased  with  his  manner,  and 
perhaps  affected  with  some  transient  emotions  of  mind, 
expressed  a  willingness  to  hear  him  again  ;  and  a  few, 
a  very  few,  believed,  among  whom  was  Dionysius, 
one  of  the  Areopagite  judges. 

Having  so  little  encouragement  to  prolong  his  stay 


14§  Jl  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  II. 

at  Athens,  the  apostle  proceeded  to  Corinth,  at  that 
time  accounted  the  chief  city  of  Greece.  Here  he 
unexpectedly  found  companions  prepared  for  him*. 
Aquila,  a  native  of  Pontus,  by  birth  a  Jew,  with  Priscilla 
his  wife,  had  received  the  faith  of  the  Gospel  in  Italy, 
from  whence  they  had  been  lately  constrained  to  re- 
move by  an  edict  of  the  emperor,  enjoining  all  Jews 
to  depart  from  Rome.  Whether  the  Christians  were 
particularly  aimed  at  by  the  name  of  Jews  in  this  decree, 
is  uncertain ;  but  as  their  Lord  and  Master  had  lived 
in  Judea,  and  the  first  preachers  and  converts  were 
generally  of  that  nation,  perhaps,  likewise,  because  they 
asserted  and  proved  their  doctrines  from  those  books 
for  which  the  Jews  professed  the  highest  veneration, 
the  Christians  were  for  some  time  considered  as  Jews 
by  most  of  the  Heathens.  This  happy  pair,  partners 
in  faith  and  affection,  were  led  by  that  Divine  Provi- 
dence which  certainly,  though  secretly,  guides  the  steps 
of  his  servants,  to  seek  a  retreat  in  Corinth,  about  the 
time  St.  Paul  arrived  there.  They  soon  became  ac- 
quainted, and,  of  course,  intimate.  He  often  mentions 
them  in  his  writings,  as  having,  upon  many  occa- 
sions, afforded  him  help  and  comfort ;  for,  as  in  na- 
ture, so  in  grace,  none  are  so  sufficient  to  themselves, 
but  they  may  be  glad  of  assistance  from  others,  even 
from  such  as  are  in  many  respects  their  inferiors.  They 
abode  and  wrought  together,  being  of  the  same  busi- 
ness ;  for  though  St.  Paul  well  understood  his  liberty, 
and  that,  as  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel,  he  had  a  right  to 
expect  maintenance  from  those  to  whom  he  ministered, 
yet  he  condescended  to  work,  as  a  common  handicraft, 
at  the  employment  of  making  tents.     One  reason  of  his 

.  *  Acts  xviii. 


Chap.  1.        A  Reoiew  of  Ecclesiastical  HistoT]^.  14S 

submitting  to  this,  he  informs  us  himself,  was  a  prudent 
precaution  to  obviate  any  insinuations  that  might  be  raised 
or  received  against  him,of  a  design  to  make  gain  of  godli- 
ness, or  to  abuse  his  influence  to  mercenary  purposes.  But 
his  example  may  further  teach  us,  that  secular  employ- 
ments are  not  in  themselves  incompatible  with  a  faithful 
and  regular  discharge  of  the  Gospel  ministry,  when  the 
circumstances  of  the  times  may  so  require.  But  his 
main  and  proper  business,  to  which  he  always  attended 
in  *  season  and  out  of  season,  was  preaching  the  Gos- 
pel of  Christ.  To  this  he  addressed  himself  at  Corinth, 
first,  (as  usual,)  to  the  Jews,  being  pressed  in  spirit, 
borne  on  by  a  constraining  sense  of  the  love  of  Christ 
and  the  worth  of  souls,  and  probably  more  confirmed 
and  warmed  by  the  accounts  brought  by  Timothy  and 
Titus,  who  rejoined  him  here  from  Macedonia.  Ani- 
mated, rather  than  discouraged,  by  the  opposition  he 
had  formerly  met  with,  he  strenuously  urged  to  the 
Jews,  from  their  own  Scriptures,  the  proofs  that  Jesus 
was  the  Messiah,  with  such  evidence  as  must  have 
gained  their  assent,  had  they  not  been  hardened  and 

*  2  Tim.  iv.  2.  "  Be  instant  in  season  and  out  of  season  ;"  not 
unseasonably,  as  supposing  a  time  in  which  it  would  be  better  to 
forbear,  but  in  season^  at  set  and  stated  times,  and  out  of  seaso7i, 
that  is,  occasionally.  Improve  every  opportunity  that  offers,  not 
on  the  Lord's  day  only,  but  on  any  other :  not  only  in  a  solemn 
and  full  discourse,  but  let  the  glory  ot  God  and  the  good  of  souls 
be  your  scope  in  every  conversation  !  It  answers  to  the  account 
the  apostle  gives  of  his  ovn  conduct :  he  preached  publicly  and 
from  house  to  house,  by  night  and  by  day.  Acts  xx.  20.  31.  As 
a  physician,  besides  his  ordinary  round  of  practice,  is  ready  to 
afford  his  help  upon  every  sudden  application,  this  should  be  the 
aim  of  a  Gospel  minister  ;  he  should  be  constant  to  all  his  stated 
appointments,  and  willing  to  make  the  most  of  every  unexpect- 
ed call  to  service. 


144;  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Uistory,        Book  II, 

obstinate ;  but  when  they  persisted  in  returning  contra- 
diction and  despite  to  his  repeated  labours  of  love,  he 
at  length  gave  them  up,  and  told  them,  that  having 
discharged  his  duty  and  his  conscience,  their  blood 
would  be  upon  their  own  heads,  that  their  guilt  was 
most  aggravated,  and  their  destruction  approaching ; 
and  that,  for  the  future,  he  would  frequent  their  syna- 
gogues no  more,  but  address  himself  to  the  Gentiles-. 
He  accordingly  preached  in  the  house  of  one  Justus, 
near  the  synagogue,  and  though  most  of  the  Jews  were 
hardened  beyond  the  reach  of  conviction,  yet  the  Lord 
had  a  small  remnant  amongst  them  here  likewise.  Cris- 
pus,  a  chief  ruler  or  president  of  the  synagogue,  be- 
lieved, with  all  his  house,  and  of  the  Heathens  many 
were  converted  and  baptized. 

If  Corinth  was  less  celebrated  than  Athens  for  phi- 
losophy and  science,  it  was  more  so  for  riches  and 
luxury,  which  are  no  less  powerful  hindrances  to  the 
reception  of  the  truth.  This  consideration,  joined  to 
the  violent  spirit  of  his  opposers,  might  perhaps  have 
prompted  him  to  a  speedy  departure ;  but  the  Lord, 
whom  he  served,  appeared  to  him  in  a  vision,  and  bid 
him  not  be  afraid  or  discouraged,  but  continue  to 
preach,  assuring  him  his  labour  should  not  be  in  vain ; 
for,  though  present  appearances  might  promise  but  little 
success,  [a.  d.  53.^  he  had  many  people  known  to 
himself  in  that  proud,  sensual,  idolatrous  city.  It 
signifies  but  little,  what  enemies  or  difficulties  a  faith- 
ful minister  may  be  threatened  with,  if  the  Lord  has 
i)3any  people  in  that  place ;  he  who  sent  him  to  call 
them  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous  light,  will 
support  and  defend  him,  so  that  either  none  shall  rise 
against  him,  or  at  least  none  be  able  to  prevail  to  his 
real  harm.     That  the   people  whom  the,  Lord  here 


Chap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Ilistortf.  145 

spoke  of  as  his  own,  were  no  be4;ter,  either  by  nature 
or  practice,  than  others,  is  plain  from  what  the  apostle 
reminds  them  of  after  their  conversion,  1  Cor.  vi. 
9 — 11.  We*  learn  from  the  same  epistle,  that  his 
conflicts  and  exercises  at  this  time  were  very  great. 
Supported,  however,  by  such  a  seasonable  and  gracious 
encouragement,  he  remained  there  a  year  and  a  half; 
and  all  the  efforts  of  his  enemies  were  insufficient,  either 
to  damp  his  zeal  and  activity,  or  to  prevent  the  success 
of  his  labours,  though  tiie  Lord  permitted  them  to  try 
what  they  could  do,  and  thereby  more  clearly  showed, 
that  the  safety  of  his  servants  depends  on  himself. 

When  Gallio  was  proconsul  of  Achaia,  (who,  as  it 
seems  by  Luke's  expression,  entered  upon  his  govern- 
ment during  the  apostle's  abode  at  Corinth,)  the  Jews 
appeared  tumbltuously  before  the  tribunal,  with  the 
old  accusation,  that  he  subverted  the  laws  of  Moses. 
Gallio  prevented  Paul's  intended  defence,  and  refused 
to  interfere  in  points  foreign  to  the  Roman  laws.  He 
said,  that  if  their  charge  had  been  laid  for  any  trespass 
or  immorality,  he  would  readily  have  taken  cognizance 
of  the  affair,  but  should  leave  them  to  settle  their  re- 
ligious disputes  between  themselves.  With  this  repri- 
mand he  dismissed,  or  rather  drove,  them  from  his 
presence.  The  conduct  of  Gallio  in  this  affair  has 
been  considered  in  different  lights,  and  praised  or 
censured  accordingly.  History  gives  him  a  fair  charac- 
ter for  equity  and  moderation  ;  and  it  must  be  allowed 
he  judged  right,  in  refusing  to  interpose  the  civil  au- 
thority to  give  sanction  to  persecution  :  yet  he  seems, 
upon  this  occasion,  to  have  discovered  that  political 
indifference  which  has  prompted  so  many  great  and 

»  1  Cor,  ii.  3. 

Vol.  in.  U 


146  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  II, 

wise  men,  in  the  world's  estimation,  to  treat  the  Gos- 
pel as  a  trivial  scheme  unworthy  their  notice  :  he  rather 
showed  contempt  than  impartiality  ;  he  would  not  hear 
either  party,  because  he  despised  both,  and  therefore 
drove  them  away  with  scorn.  In  fine,  the  Jews  not 
only  failed  in  their  design,  but  were  themselves  assault- 
ed by  some  of  the  inhabitants,  who  beat  Sosthenes,  the 
chief  ruler  of  the  Synagogue,  even  in  the  open  court, 
and  Gallio,  though  he  saw  it,  cared  for  none  of  these 
things  ;  which  is  a  further  proof  that  he  was  influenced 
by  some  other  motives  than  impartiality  and  a  regard 
to  justice,  or  he  would  not  have  suffered  his  authority 
to  be  insulted,  and  a  person,  (upon  his  own  principles 
innocent,)  abused  before  his  face.  I  suppose,  (though 
it  is  a  controverted  point,)  that  the  Sosthenes  here  men- 
tioned, was  at  that  time  an  enemy  to  Paul,  and  joined 
in  the  prosecution  attempted  against  him.  Perhaps  he 
was  afterwards  converted,  and  accompanied  the  apostle 
in  his  travels,  as  his  name  is  prefixed,  with  his  own,  to 
his  first  epistle  to  the  Corinthians. 

Nero,  a.  d.  54.]  St.  Paul,  after  about  two  years 
stay  in  Greece,  from  his  first  landing  at  Macedonia, 
embarked  at  Cenchrea,  the  port  of  Corinth,  intending 
for  Syria.  In  this  voyage  they  touched  at  Ephesus, 
the  chief  city  of  the  Proper  or  Proconsular  Asia. 
Here,  as  in  other  places,  he  entered  into  the  Jews' 
synagogues,  desirous,  if  possible,  to  lead  them  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  Messiah.  At  this  city  he  left  his 
dear  companions  Aquila  and  Priscilla,  who  would  will- 
ingly have  detained  him  longer ;  but  St,  Paul,  having 
formed  the  plan  of  his  progress  in  such  manner  as  he 
judged  most  suitable  to  his  main  design,  readily  sacri- 
iiced  the  dictates  of  affection  to  the  calls  of  duty,  and 
-persisted  in  his  purpose  to  be  at  Jerusalem  on  the  ap- 


Chap.  1.         A  Rcvlcio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  147 

preaching  passover.  He  took  leave  of  them  therefore 
with  a  promise  of  returning  at  a  proper  time  ;  and  pro- 
ceeding on  his  voyage,  landed  at  Caesarea,  from  whence 
he  went  to  Jerusalem.  His  stay  here  was  not  long : 
having  answered  the  design  of  his  journey,  and  con- 
versed with  the  brethren,  he  revisited  the  places  where 
he  had  formerly  preached,  and  went  first  to  Antioch, 
and  from  thence  through  the  provinces  of  Galatia  and 
Phrygia.  In  this  circuit  he  lost  no  time,  but  published 
the  glad  tidings  of  salvation,  and  confirmed  the  hearts 
of  the  disciples,  wherever  he  came. 

While  he  was  on  this  service,  there  came  to  Ephesus 
a  Jew  of  Alexandria,  named  ApoUos.  He  had  been 
as  yet  only  instructed  in  the  rudiments  of  the  faith,  so 
far  as  was  communicated  by  tlie  teaching  and  baptism 
of  John  ;  but  though  his  knowledge  was  not  extensive, 
his  zeal  was  lively  and  fervent ;  and,  having  a  prompt 
elocution,  and  great  readiness  in  the  Scriptures,  he 
preached  concerning  Christ  with  much  freedom  and 
earnestness,  according  to  the  measure  of  light  he  had 
received.  Aquilaand  Priscilla  were  amongsthis  hearers, 
and  having  more  experience  and  knowledge  than  him- 
self, they  easily  perceived  wherein  he  was  deficient, 
and  with  candour  and  tenderness,  instructed  him  fur- 
ther. This  passage  is  worthy  the  notice  both  of  preach- 
ers and  hearers.  What  Apollos  had  learnt  he  willingly 
communicated ;  what  he  was  yet  ignorant  of,  he  as 
willingly  received  when  proposed  to  him  :  his  zeal  and 
humility  went  hand  in  hand.  This  is  an  amiable  and 
thriving  character.  The  man  who  is  faithful  to  present 
light,  and  open  to  further  conviction,  will  soon  be  wise 
and  successful ;  the  Lord  will  provide  him  both  teachers 
and  hearers  ;  he  shall  profit  others,  and  be  profited 
himself  every  day.     The  prudence  and  moderation  of 


14S  A  Revleio  of  JScclesiastical  History.        Book  II. 

Aquila  and  Priscilla  are  no  less  commendable.  They 
did  not  acquiesce  in  all  he  said  because  he  was  elo- 
quent and  mighty  in  the  Scriptures  ;  neither  did  they 
reject  and  disdain  him  because  they  knew  more  than 
he,  much  less  expose  and  revile  him  as  a  low,  ignorant 
preacher  ;  but  they  spoke  to  him  in  private  ;  they  ap- 
proved what  was  right,  and  showed  him  mildly  and 
faithfully  wherein  he  was  defective ;  they  commended 
his  zeal,  and  improved  his  knowledge.  With  these 
advantages,  and  letters  of  recommendation  to  the  bre- 
thren, he  went  from  thence  to  Corinth,  where  he  was 
highly  serviceable  to  the  church,  publicly  maintaining 
and  proving,  against  the  Jews,  with  great  earnestness 
of  spirit  and  strength  of  argument,  that  Jesus  was  the 
Messiah. 

Not  long  after  his  departure  *,  Paul,  having  com- 
pleted his  progress  through  the  upper  or  interior  parts 
of  Asia  Minor,  returned,  according  to  his  promise,  to 
Ephesus.  Here  he  found  some  more  disciples,  who, 
like  Apollos,  though  acquainted  with  the  doctrine  and 
baptism  of  John,  were  hitherto  strangers  to  those  pe- 
culiar gifts,  graces,  and  comforts,  which,  as  the  fruits 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  were  bestowed  on  the  believers  in 
Jesus ;  but,  by  the  imposition  of  the  apostle's  hands, 
they  were  immediately  made  partakers  of  the  same 
benefits. 

A,  D.  .55.]  The  apostle,  unwilling  to  give  up  his 
own  people,  the  Jews,  continued  his  labours  of  love 
among  them  for  three  months,  if,  by  any  means,  he 
might  bring  them  to  the  acknowledgment  of  the  truth ; 
but  at  length  perceiving  that,  instead  of  yielding,  they 
hardened   themselves    still  more,  and  obstinately  la- 

*  Acts  xixi 


Chap.  1.        A  Revieio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  149 

boiired  to  traduce  and  defame  the  Author  and  way  of 
salvation  before  the  people,  he  finally  desisted;  and, 
selecting  those  who  had  received  the  Gospel  from  the 
many  who  might  hinder  and  confuse  them,  he  formed 
them  into  a  society  among  themselves.  He  continued 
daily  to  preach  and  defend  the  Gospel  for  two  years 
afterwards,  in  a  public  school,  with  indefatigable  zeal 
and  diligence,  secondincf  his  more  stated  services  with 
occasional  and  pressing  exhortations  from  house  to 
house,  and  watering  the  seed  with  many  prayers  and 
tears.  His  labours  were  not  in  vain  ;  he  had  great  suc- 
cess, not  only  in  the  city  of  Ephesus,  but  amongst 
many,  who,  resorting  thither  from  other  parts,  and 
with  different  views,  were  providentially  led  to  hear 
him,  and  being  divinely  convinced  themselves,  carried 
home  the  joyful  tidings  with  them  ;  so  that  the  know- 
ledge of  the  Gospel  was  generally  spread  throughout 
the  province.  The  attention  of  the  people  was  still 
further  exited,  and  their  prejudices  softened,  by  the 
numerous  displays  and  visible  tendency  of  that  divine 
power,  by  which  the  Lord  confirmed  the  words  of  his 
servant.  Many  striking  miracles,  emblematical  of  the 
healing  efficacy  of  Gospel  grace,  were  wrought  by  the 
most  inconsiderable  means ;  so  that  persons  afflicted 
with  various  maladies,  or  possessed  by  evil  spirits,  were 
perfectly  restored  to  health,  by  the  application  of  hand- 
kerchiefs or  aprons  that  had  touched  his  body. 

Among  the  various  methods  by  which  the  Gospel  has 
been  opposed,  one  is,  by  a  feeble  imitation,  and  a  pre-^ 
tended  acknowledgment,  of  some  of  its  principles,. 
M  hile  the  heart  is  unacquainted  or  unaffected  with  the 
design  and  scope  of  the  whole  doctrine.  Enmity,  or  at 
best,  interest,  is  often  the  spring  of  many  attempts  that 
are  veiled  under  a  fair  profession  of  good  words  ;  but 


190  A  Revieio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  H. 

such  attempts  will  always  issue  in  the  disappointment 
or  confusion  of  those  who  venture  on  them.  An  in- 
stance of  this  kind  happened  at  Ephesu?.  Some  va- 
grant Jews,  who  made  claim  to  a  power  of  exorcising 
or  dispossessing  evil  spirits,  struck  with  the  miracles 
wrought  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  presumed  to  adopt  this 
sacred  name  into  the  number  of  their  professed  myste- 
ries; and,  meeting  with  a  subject  for  the  exercise  of  their 
art,  they  undertook  to  adjure  the  evil  spirit  to  depart 
from  a  man  by  the  name  of  Jesus,  whom  Paul  preached. 
But  the  man,  under  the  influence  of  the  evil  spirit,  in- 
sulted and  exposed  them  :  he  acknowledged  the  autho- 
rity of  Jesus  and  the  fidelity  of  Paul ;  but,  demanding 
further  who  they  were  that  durst  make  free  with  these 
names,  far  from  obeying  their  summons,  he  fiercely 
assaulted  them,  and  forced  them,  though  seven  in 
number,  to  flee  for  their  lives,  naked,  wounded,  and 
terrified.  Great  indeed  is  the  power  of  the  name  of 
Jesus ;  but  when  not  pronounced  by  faith,  it  is  spoken 
in  vain  :  Satan  laughs  at  such  vain  pretenders,  and 
prevails  against  them.  So,  when  those  who  are  de- 
stitute of  faith  undertake  to  Avrite  or  preach  con- 
cerning Jesus,  it  will  seldom  prove  to  more  purpose 
than  if  they  attempted  to  exorcise  the  people.  Instead 
of  delivering  others  from  the  power  of  Satan,  they  are 
more  and  more  subjected  to  him  themselves  j  and,  un- 
less the  grace  of  God  interposes  to  teach  them  better, 
their  latter  end  is  usually  worse  than  their  beginning. 
This  public  defeat  of  the  enemy  added  to  the  triumph 
of  the  Gospel  and  the  honour  of  the  apostle,  and  pro- 
duced a  reverence  and  awe  in  the  hearts  of  many,  con- 
vincing them  of  the  power  of  evil  spirits  when  not  re- 
strained, and  the  danger  of  trifling  with  the  name  or 
ministry  of  Christ ;  and  many  who  had  been  addicted 


Chap.  i.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  151 

to  the  magic  arts,  (for  which  Ephesus  was  peculiarly  in- 
famous,) renounced  their  delusions,  confessed  their  folly 
and  wickedness  to  the  apostle,  made  public  profession 
of  the  Gospel,  and,  in  proof  that  their  faith  and  re- 
pentance were  sincere,  brought  the  books  containing 
the  secrets  and  principles  of  their  pretended  skill,  and 
publicly  committed  them  to  the  flames.  These  were 
either  so  numerous,  or  so  dear,  that  the  value  was 
computed  at  fifty  thousand  pieces  of  silver.  What  this 
sum  might  be  in  our  money  the  learned  are  not  agreed ; 
the  lowest  calculations  fix  it  at  about  fifteen  hundred 
pounds,  while  some  compute  it  at  more  than  seven 
thousand.  We  are  not,  liowever,  sure  they  were  all 
on  the  subject  of  magic  :  a  variety  of  other  disquisitions 
might  possibly  contribute  to  enlarge  the  pile,  CuriouS 
books  and  curious  arts  had  been  multiplied;  but  the  one 
book  of  truth  now  made  the  rest  useless  and  tasteless. 
They  had  now  found  the  pearl  of  great  price,  and  wil- 
lingly parted  with  their  once-admired  pebbles  ;  and  we 
may  believe,  that  if  the  worth  and  power  of  the  holy 
Scriptures  were  once  generally  known,  many  curious 
libraries  in  our  days,  if  they  escaped  unburnt,  would, 
at  least,  remain  unread  and  unnoticed.  W^hen  the  wise 
thus  renounced  their  wisdom,  and  the  artful  their  gain^ 
burnt  their  books  with  their  own  hands,  and  devoted 
themselves  to  the  study  of  the  Scriptures  alone,  it  is 
once  more  observed,  "  So  mightily  grew  the  word  of 
"  God,  and  prevailed  !" 

A.  D.  57.^  The  apostle,  of  whom  it  may  be  said, 
with  more  propriety  than  of  Cassar,  that  he  accounted 
nothing  done  while  any  thing  remained  to  do,  in  the 
midst  of  his  important  engagements  at  Ephesus  was 
still  meditating  new  services.  He  retained  a  warm  affec- 
tion and  care  for  his  friends  in  different,  distant,  and 


159  A  Revieio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  M. 

opposite  quarters.  He  had  thoughts  of  revisiting  Ma- 
cedonia and  Greece,  and,  from  thence,  once  more  to  go 
to  Jerusalem  ;  and,  not  content  with  reviewing  his  past 
labours,  he  longed  to  preach  in  places  he  had  not  yet 
Seen — saying,  "  After  I  have  been  there,  I  must  also 
"  see  Rome :"  nor  was  Rome  the  boundary  of  his  views, 
for  from  thence  he  proposed  to  proceed  to  Spain*.  We 
are  taught  from  our  infancy  to  admire  those  who,  in  the 
language  of  the  world,  are  styled  great  captains  and 
conquerors,  because  they  burned  w  ith  a  desire  to  carry 
slaughter  and  terror  into  every  part  of  the  globe,  and  to 
aggrandize  their  names,  by  the  depopulation  of  coun- 
tries, and  the  destruction  of  their  species,  while  this 
generous  spirit  of  St.  Paul  is  almost  totally  overlooked. 
Unwearied  by  difficulties,  undismayed  by  dangers,  un- 
satisfied with  the  greatest  success,  unaffected  with  the 
justest  applause,  he  seemed  to  lay  his  benevolent 
schemes  wide  as  the  human  race.  He  reaped  no  pro- 
fit, he  sought  no  praise,  he  rejected  the  allurements  of 
pleasure,  (to  which  the  greatest  conquerors  have  often 
been  irresolute  slaves,)  he  endured  the  reproach  and 
contempt  of  the  people,  which  no  hero  but  the  true 
Christian  was  ever  strong  enough  to  bear  with  pa- 
tience, and  all  this  only  to  make  others  partakers  of 
the  happiness  .which  he  enjoyed  himself.  However, 
finding  it  necessary  to  continue  some  time  longer  where 
he  was,  he  dispatched  his  beloved  Timothy  to  Mace- 
donia, to  apprise  his  friends  of  his  intention,  and  to 
prepare  them  for  his  visit,  when  a  proper  opportunity 
should  permit. 

In  the  mean  time,  an  incident  fell  out  which  well 
illustrates  the  causes  and  genius  of  that  opposition  and 

*  Rom.  XV.  24. 


Chap.  1.         A  Reviexo  of  Ecclesiastical  History »  153 

outcry  which  is  usually  made  when  the  power  of  Gos- 
pel-truth interferes  with  the  passions  and  interests  of 
designinor  men.  St.  Paul's  great  success,  and  the  addi- 
tions daily  made  to  the  church  of  Christ,  had  a  visible 
tendency  to  lessen  the  estimation  and  gain  of  those 
whose  chief  resource  was  in  the  ignorance  and  wicked- 
ness of  the  people.  These  were  not  backward  to  take 
the  alarm,  and  had  been  waiting  an  opportunity  to 
show  their  resentment.  The  Lord,  M-ho  holds  all 
hearts  in  his  own  hands,  had  restrained  them  hitherto, 
that  his  work  of  grace  might  not  be  disturbed  ;  but  when 
the  apostle  was  upon  the  point  of  departure,  this  re- 
straint was  in  some  measure  taken  off.  The  temple  of 
Diana,  at  Ephesus,  was  celebrated  for  its  magnificence  far 
and  near,  so  that  many  shrines  or  models  of  it  were  made 
for  sale,  and  in  much  demand.  This  branch  of  business 
brought  in  considerable  gain  to  the  silversmiths  and 
other  mechanics  ;  but  if  the  Gospel  of  Christ  continued 
to  spread,  it  was  highly  probable  that  these,  with  many 
other  such  toys,  would  be  little  inquired  after.  De- 
metrius, a  leading  man  amongst  them,  convening  his 
brethren  and  dependants,  and  as  many  as  he  could 
whose  interest  seemed  most  immediately  affected  by 
this  novel  doctrine,  harangued  them  with  much  address 
and  influence  on  a  point  in  which  they  had  so  near  and 
mutual  a  concern.  He  reminded  them,  with  a  season- 
able frankness,  that  their  gain  was  at  stake*  :  this  was 
the  main  argument ;  yet,  as  one  not  wholly  governed 

•  This  is  the  main  objection  against  the  Gospel,  though  pretexts 
are  industriously  sought  to  hide  it.  It  alarms  those  who  thrive 
by  the  ignorance  or  wickedness  of  the  times  :  gain  is  the  motive, 
the  honour  of  Diana  the  plea.  But  it  may  be  easily  proved,  that 
such  occupations  as  are  endangered  by  the  success  of  the  Gos- 
pel, are  in  themselves  injurious  to  the  peace  and  good  order  of 
civil  society. 

Vol.  IIL  X 


J 54  A  lievieiv  of  Ecclesiastical  HistCQ'}/.        Book  II. 

by  mercenary  views,  he  expressed  a  very  tender  con- 
cern for  the  honour  of  Diana,  lest  her  worship  and 
their  advantage  should  cease  together,  as  they  certainly 
would,  if  this  Paul  should  be  peaceably  suffered  to  per- 
suade the  people,  that  they  can  be  no  gods  which  are 
made  with  hands.  An  appeal  to  the  two  prevailing  pas- 
sions of  mankind,  interest  and  superstition,  is  seldom 
made  in  vain.  The  arguments  of  Demetrius  have  been 
employed  a  thousand  times  over  against  the  Gospel, 
though  all  opposers  have  not  had  his  honesty,  in  avow- 
ing their  leading  motive.  The  doctrine  which  discoun- 
tenances folly  and  wickedness  will  certainly  be  defamed 
and  resisted  by  all  who  find  their  account  in  promoting 
them  ;  but  as  this  motive  is  rather  invidious,  if  insisted 
on  alone,  they  express  likewise  an  earnest  zeal  for 
whatever  tenets  have  the  sanction  of  authority,  anti- 
quity, or  custom,  with  which  their  private  interest  is  in- 
separably connected.  He  had  said  enough  to  inflame 
his  hearers ;  and  these  were  sufficiently  numerous  to 
stimulate  the  unthinking  rabble,  who,  though  quiet  till 
they  are  headed  by  artful  leaders,  are  easily  roused  to 
rage  and  tumult  when  thus  influenced,  as  the  sea,  that 
has  been  long  calm,  obeys  the  impulse  of  the  rising 
gale.  The  outcry  begun  by  Demetrius  and  his  compa-. 
nions,  "  Great  is  Diana  of  the  Ephesians,"  was  soon  re- 
sounded through  the  city,  and  the  multitude,  being  in- 
formed that  their  established  religion,  their  stately  tem- 
ple, and  costly  rites,  were  all  in  danger,  rushed  from  all 
parts  tumultuously  into  the  public  theatre,  dragging 
two  of  St.  Paul's  dear  companions,  Gains  and  Aris- 
tarchus,  along  with  them,  perhaps  with  a  design  to 
throw'  them  to  the  wild  beasts,  which  w^ere  kept  for 
the  barbarous  diversion  of  the  people  at  their  pub- 
lic games.     The  apostle,   warmly  concerned  for  hi? 


I 


Chap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  155 

friends'  safety,  and  confiding  in  the  goodness  of  liis  cause 
and  the  providence  of  his  God,  was  not  intimidated 
by  this  violent  uproar,  but  purposed  to  face  the  enraged 
mob;  but  the  earnest  solicitations  of  the  disciples,  who 
could  not  but  be  anxious  for  the  event,  restrained  him  ; 
and  evi|n  some  who  had  not  received  his  doctrine,  from 
a  regard  to  what  they  knew  of  his  character  and  con- 
duct, employed  their  endeavours  to  preserve  him. 
These,  in  the  text,  are  styled  Asiarchs,  persons  of  note 
who  presided  in  the  regulation  of  the  games.  Some  of 
them  sent  to  inform  him,  that  in  the  present  confusion 
it  was  not  in  their  power  to  protect  him  from  violence, 
and  therefore  desired  he  would  keep  in  safety.  Though 
his  resolution  was  not  shaken,  yet,  judging  this  might 
be  a  providential  intimation,  that  it  was  not  his  duty  at 
that  time  to  expose  himself,  he  desisted.  The  mob, 
thus  disappointed  with  respect  to  him,  and  secretly  re- 
strained from  hurting  the  others,  continued  in  the  utmost 
confusion,  though  few  knew  why  they  were  assembled, 
unless  it  was  to  join  in  the  cry,  "  Great  is  Diana  of  the 
"  Ephesians,"  which  they  repeated,  without  intermis- 
sion, for  two  hours.  When  they  had  thus  exhausted 
themselves,  and  their  passions,  through  weariness,  be- 
gan to  subside,  a  public  officer  of  the  city  seized  the  fa- 
vourable moment  to  expostulate  with  them  concerning 
their  behaviour.  He  spoke  with  freedom  and  address, 
but  with  that  indifference  which  the  wise  men  of  the 
world  so  frequently  discover  in  religious  concerns. 
Many  deserve  commendation  for  their  readiness  to  al- 
low others  the  peaceable  possession  of  their  own  senti- 
ments, who,  at  the  same  time,  call  for  our  pity,  that 
they  have  no  inclination  or  leisure  to  inquire  for  them- 
selves. He  allowed,  in  general  terms,  the  honours  of 
Diana,  and  pleaded  in  behalf  of  the  men,  that  they  had 


156  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  II. 

not  spoke  against  Diana  in  particular,  or  intermeddled 
with  her  temple*.  This  was  probably  true  in  fact.  St. 
Paul  declared  the  folly  of  idolatry  in  general ;  but  did 
not  enter  into  direct  confutation  of  any  detached  part  of 
the  Heathen  mythology  :  he  proposed  the  plain  truth  of 
the  Gospel,  and  when  this  was  received,  th^whole 
system  of  idol  worship  fell  to  the  ground  of  itself.  He 
further  lemiudcd  them,  that  it  they  had  any  just  cause 
of  complaint,  they  ought  to  seek  redress  in  a  course  of 
lawj";  and  then  hinting  at  the  consequences  they  were 
liable  to,  if  called  to  a  strict  account  J  for  their  riot,  he 
prevailed  on  them  to  separate  and  depart  quietly.  Thus 
the  apostle,  though  threatened  with  a  most  imminent 
and  formidable  danger,  was  preserved  unhurt,  and  suf- 
fered neither  in  his  person  nor  character.  An  encou- 
raging proof,  that  those  who  act  in  the  path  of  duty, 
and  depend  on  the  power  of  God,  are  equally  safe  in  all 
times  and  circumstances;  no  less  safe,  when  surrounded 
by  enraged  enemies,  than  w  hen  encircled  by  kind  and 
assiduous  friends. 

He  did  not  continue  long atEphesus  after  this  tumult; 

♦  "Are  neither  robbers  of  churches,"  ver.  37.  should  rather  be 
rendered  robbers  of  temples  ;  for  though  the  word  church  is  now 
expressive  of  some  particular  places  of  worship,  it  is  never  in 
the  New  Testament,  applied  to  buildings,  but  to  persons  only. 

t  The  servants  of  Christ  will  seldom  be  compelled  to  answer 
for  themselves  in  a  course  of  law,  except  in  those  places  where 
sanguinary  laws  are  contrived  purposely  against  them.  In  de- 
fault of  these,  their  adversaries  will  often  stoop  to  appeal  from 
the  magistrate  to  the  mob. 

\  It  seems,  however,  there  was  no  more  said  of  it.  It  had  been 
a  notorious  breach  of  the  peace ;  but  then  it  had  been  against  St. 
Paul  and  his  companions,  who  had  sufficient  favour  shown  them 
if  they  came  off  with  their  lives.  In  any  other  case,  such  a  tu- 
mult would  have  been  deemed  a  high  offence. 


6hap.  1.        A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  167 

but,  taking  leave  of  the  disciples,  he  went  to  Troas, 
and  from  thence,  (as  he  had  purposed,)  to  Macedonia*. 
We  have  but  little  account  of  this  progress  in  the  history 
of  the  Acts;  but  from  some  passages  of  his  epistles f, 
written  about  that  time,  we  are  informed  that  his  exer- 
cises a%i  trials,  both  inward  and  outward,  were  very 
great.  His  solicitous  affection  for  the  churches  was  far 
from  being  the  smallest  source  of  his  troubles,  and  cost 
him  many;]:  a  pang :  he  loved  them  in  the  bowels  of  Je- 
sus Christ;  he  could  willingly  have  devoted  his  labours', 
and  life  to  each  of  them,  but  he  could  not  be  with  them, 
all ;  and  knowing  the  weakness  of  the  heart,  the  sub- 
tilty  of  Satan,  and  the  obvious  temptations  arising 
from  the  fear  of  man,  the  love  of  the  world,  and  the 
arts  of  false  teachers,  he  was  jealous  over  those  from 
whom  he  was  absent  with  a  godly  jealousy §.  At 
Troas,  he  expected  to  have  met  with  Titus,  on  his  re- 
turn from  Macedonia  ;  but  missing  him,  though  he  had 
favourable  opportunities  of  preaching  the  Gospel  at  |} 
Troas,  his  mind  was  not  at  liberty  to  improve  them, 
but  he  hasted  to  be  in  Macedonia,  that  he  might  the 
sooner  be  saiisfied.  There  he  tells  us  himself,  he  had 
no  rest,  but  was  troubled  on  every  side ;   without  were 

*  Acts  XX.  t  2  Cor.  ii.  12,  13,  iind  vii.  5. 

\  See  2  Cor.  xi.  28.  "  That  which  cometh  on  me  daily."  The 
Avord  is  fKr*<7tir«o-»,-;  and  gives  the  idea  of  a  camp  or  castle  hard  beset 
■with  continual  onsets  and  assaults  ;  or  of  a  man  who  has  his  way  to 
force  through  a  great  crowd  that  are  coming  to  meet  him  ;  so  that 
he  must  not  only  be  much  encumbered  and  hindered, but  unless  he 
exerts  himself  to  the  utmost,  is  in  danger  of  being  trampled  un- 
der their  feet.  By  this  lively  figure  the  apostle  describes  the  part 
he  took  in  the  Avelfure  of  all  the  churches.  His  cares  on  their  be- 
half were  so  numerous,  urgent,  and  continual,  that  they  found 
full  employment  for  his  prayers,  his  thoughts,  and  his  time. 

§  2  Cor.  xi.  2.  11  2  Cor.  ii.  12,  13. 


158  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  11. 

fightings,  within  were  fears ;  but  he  speaks  of  it  as  a 
seasonable  and  gracious  interposition  of  that  God, 
whose  character*  and  prerogative  it  is  to  be  a  comforter 
of  those  that  are  cast  down  ;  that  in  these  circumstan- 
ces he  was  comforted  by  the  coming  of  Titus,  who  re- 
lieved his  fears  by  the  favourable  account  he  Jlrought 
him  from  Corinth. 

A.  D.  68.]  How  long  he  staid  in  these  parts  we  are  not 
told,  but,  in  general,  that  he  spent  some  time  and  visited 
many  places ;  and  it  seems  to  have  been  in  this  circuit 
that  he  preached  at  lUyricum,  a  part  of  which  country 
borders  upon  Macedonia.  He  afterwards  proceeded  to 
Greece,  where  he  staid  three  months.  He  intended  to 
have  embarked  from  thence  at  some  port,  and  to  have 
proceeded  immediately  to  Syria  by  sea ;  but  upon  in- 
formation that  his  restless  enemies,  the  Jews,  were 
plotting  to  intercept  and  kill  him,  he  determined  to  re- 
turn through  Macedonia.  Several  of  his  friends  offered 
to  accompany  him  through  Asia,  who,  embarking  be- 
fore him,  waited  for  him  at  Troas,  where  he,  at  a  con- 
venient time,  joined  them  from  Philippi,  and  remained 
there  seven  days. 

On  the  first  day  of  the  week  they  had  a  solemn  as- 
sembly ;  and  St.  Paul,  who  was  to  take  a  long  and  last 
farewell  of  the  disciples  there  the  next  morning,  in- 
dulged his  own  and  their  affections,  by  protracting  his 
discourses  and  advices  beyond  the  usual  bounds :  he 
spent  the  whole  day,  even  till  midnight,  in  expatiating 
upon  the  pleasing  topics  of  redeeming  love.  This  does 
not,  indeed,  appear  to  have  been  his  usual  practice ; 
but  should  a  company  of  believers  now  spend  a  night 
together  in  the  exercise  they  best  love,  though  it  were 
but  once,  and  when  they  had  no  expectation  of  meeting 

*  2  Cor.  vii.  6. 


Chap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History*  159 

again  till  they  should  meet  in  glory,  it  would  be  suffi- 
^cient  to  open  the  mouths  of  prejudice  and  slander 
against  them,  as  regardless  of  the  order  of  families,  and 
the  duties  of  common  life.  Particular  notice  is  taken 
that  they  had  many  lights  in  the  upper  chamber  where 
they  were  met,  perhaps  to  remind  us  that  the  first 
Christians  were  careful  to  conduct  their  assemblies  with 
order  and  propriety,  so  as  to  give  no  just  cause  of  of- 
fence ;  yet  their  enemies  quickly  began  to  charge  them 
with  meeting  in  the  dark,  and  invented  many  false  and 
wicked  slanders  upon  that  supposition.  The  like  false- 
hoods have  been  often  l^epeated.  A  young  man  of  the 
company,  either  less  attentive  or  less  warmly  engaged 
than  the  rest,  dropped  asleep,  and  not  only  lost  much 
of  an  invaluable  opportunity,  but  fell  out  of  a  window 
in  which  he  was  seated,  from  the  third  story,  and  was 
taken  up,  to  appearance,  dead  :  an  incident  which 
might  have  given  those  who  hated  the  apostle  a  further 
occasion  to  clamour,  and  to  revile  his  unseasonable 
zeal ;  but  he  went  down,  in  the  spirit  of  faith  and 
prayer,  and  embracing  the  young  man,  restored  him  to 
his  friends  alive.  After  they  were  recovered  from  the 
hurry  of  this  event,  and  had  taken  some  refreshment, 
he  resumed  his  discourse,  and  continued  in  conference* 
with  them  till  the  break  of  day,  when  he  bid  them 
farewell. 

*  This,  as  we  have  observed,  was  upon  a  particular  occasion ; 
Xhey  expected  to  see  each  other  no  more,  and  hardly  knew  how 
to  pai't.  The  like  circumstances  naight  justify  such  protracted 
meetings  of  Christian  friends  still  ;  but,  in  general,  they  are  to 
be  avoided.  If  frequently  indulged,  they  would  break  in  upon 
other  things,  indispose  those  v/ho  attend  for  the  ordinary  duties 
of  their  stations,  be  prejudicial  to  health,  and,  for  these  and  other 
reasons,  prove  a  cause  ©f  offence. 


160  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  IF, 

His  companions  went  along  the  coast,  by  shipping,  to 
Assos,  a  place  not  very  distant,  and  to  which  the  apos- 
tle chose  to  go  by  land,  and  on  foot.  Some  think  he 
did  this  by  way  of  self-denial ;  but  it  is  not  likely  that 
he,  who  was  the  great  asserter  of  evangelical  and  filial 
liberty,  would  lay  any  stress  upon  such  singularities. 
Self  may  readily  submit  to  many  things  of  this  sort, 
and  derive  food,  complacence,  and  strength  from  them. 
It  is  more  probable  he  chose  to  walk,  either  that  he 
might  embrace  occasions  of  service  by  the  way,  or  for 
the  advantage  of  leisure  and  retirement ;  for  Chris- 
tians engaged  in  a  very  public  sphere  of  life,  (as  he  was,) 
are  glad  to  redeem  opportunities  of  being  alone,  at  the 
price  of  some  inconveniences.  But  this  circumstance  is 
mentioned  as  characterizing  the  simplicity  of  his  spirit : 
though  greatly  honoured  and  greatly  beloved,  he  thought 
it  not  beneath  him  to  walk  from  place  to  place,  like  an 
obscure  person. 

Embarking  at  Assos,  and  having  touched  at  Mity- 
lene  and  Samos,  intermediate  places,  they  arrived,  in 
a  few  days,  at  Miletus.  St.  Paul  purposely  passed 
Ephesus,  that  he  might  not  be  detained  or  grieved  by 
the  many  dear  friends  he  had  in  that  city ;  for  he  was 
resolved,  if  possible,  to  be  at  Jerusalem  on  the  ap- 
proaching day  of  Pentecost ;  but  from  IVIiletus  he  sent 
for  the  elders  or  bishops  of  the  church  at  Ephesus,  to 
receive  his  final  charge  and  benediction.  When  tliey 
came,  he  addressed  them  in  a  solemn  and  affectionate 
discourse.  The  substance  of  it,  which  is  recorded  for 
our  instruction,  if  considered  only  as  a  piece  of  ora- 
tory, has  been  often  admired  and  celebrated  by  critics: 
but  there  are  strokes  in  it,  the  force  and  beauty  of 
which  no  critic  can  truly  relish,  except  he  has  tasted  of 


Chap.  1.        A  Rcvieio  of  Ecclesmsticat  History.  i&t 

the  same  spirit  which  filled  and  animated  the  apostle's 
heart  when  he  spoke  it. 

He  began  with  ah  appeal  to  themselves  concerning 
his  conduct  while  resident  among  them,  and  reminded 
them  of  the  diligence,  fidelity,  and  tenderness,  which 
he  had  manifested  in  the  course  of  his  ministry ;  how 
he  had  seconded  his  public  instructions  with  private  and 
repeated  exhortations,  watering  them  both  with  many 
prayers  and  tears.  He  informed  them  of  the  object  and 
service  of  his  present  journey,  and  how  uncertain  he 
was  what  the  issue  might  prove  to  himself.  But  though 
he  had  general  intimations  from  the  Spirit  of  God  to 
expect  afflictions  and  bonds  in  every  place,  his  deter- 
mination was  fixed  :  he  had  counted  the  cost,  and  saw 
that  nothing  he  could  meet  with  was  worth  his  serious 
thought,  so  that  he  might  be  able  to  fulfil  his  ministry 
with  honour,  and  to  finish  his  course  with  joy*' ;  but 
this,  he  said,  he  was  assured  of,  that  the  pleasing  op- 
portunities he  had  enjoyed  with  the  believers  at  Ephe- 
sus,  and  in  that  neighbourhood,  were  ended,  and  that 
they  now  saw  and  heard  him  for  the  last  time.  Only 
those  who  know  the  endeared  affection  that  subsists  be- 
tween a  minister  of  Christ  and  those  to  whom  God  has 
made  him  the  instrument  of  saving  their  souls,  can 
f,      judge  of  the  emotion  with  which  he  spoke,  and  his 

*  The  state  of  obedience  and  service  which  we  owe  to  him  -who 
died  for  us,  and  rose  again,  is  often  compared  to  a  race  or  course ; 
by  which  is  intimated  the  assiduity  with  which  we  ought  to  pursue 
our  callings  the  brevity  of  our  labours  and  sufferings,  the  little  at- 
tention we  should  pay  to  objects  around  us,  and  that  our  eye  and 
aim  should  be  constantly  directed  to  the  prize  set  before  us.  Every 
step  in  this  race  is  attended  with  trouble,  but  the  end  will  be  un- 
speakable joy.  Those  to  whom  the  King  shall  say,  "  Well  done, 
"  good  and  faithful  servant,  enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord  !'* 
will  not  then  complain  of  the  difficulties  they  met  by  the  way. 

Vol.  IIK  Y 


162  A  JRevieio  of  Ecclesiastical  Histonj.        Book  II. 

friends  heard,  this  part  of  his  discourse.  When  he 
had  thus  touched  and  engaged  their  tenderest  passions, 
and  prepared  them  to  receive  his  parting  solemn  charge 
with  a  due  attention,  he  exhorted  them,  in  the  most 
animated  terms,  to  follow  his  example,  in  performing 
the  part  of  faithful  overseers,  or  bishops,  in  the  church 
which  lie  now  committed  to  their  care  ;  suggesting  two 
most  powerful  motives,  the  consideration  that  they  were 
appointed  to  this  office  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  that 
the  souls  intrusted  to  them  were  the  church  of  God, 
which  he  had  purchased  with  his  own  blood.  He 
likewise  warned  them,  that  the  utmost  circumspection 
would  be  needful ;  for  that  he  foresaw  that,  after  his 
departure,  grievous  wolves  would  enter  amongst  them, 
not  sparing  the  flock,  and  also  that,  out  of  their  own 
number  of  professed  disciples,  men  should  arise  speak- 
ing perverse  things.  This  double  danger  of  false  teach- 
ers from  without,  and  restless  curious  spirits  within  the 
fold,  all  societies  of  Christians  are  exposed  to ;  and  it 
is  a  strong  call  to  ministers,  in  all  ages,  to  be  mindful 
of  the  apostle's  charge,  and  to  take  heed  to  the  flock 
over  which  the  Holy  Ghost  has  made  them  overseers. 
He  again  put  them  in  remembrance  of  his  own  conduct, 
his  assiduity,  and  disinterestedness  ;  that  he  had  not 
sought  his  own  advantage,  but  had  ratlier  wrought  with 
his  own  hands,  that  he  might  not  be  chargeable  to 
them.  Finally,  commending  them  to  God,  and  the 
■  word  of  his  grace,  he  closed  his  discourse,  with  pro- 
posing to  their  consideration  an  aphorism  of  our  Lord 
Jesus,  and  illustrated  by  the  whole  tenour  of  his  life : 
"  It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive."  This  sen- 
tinjcnt,  so  highly  expressive  of  the  spirit  of  the  Divine 
Author,  which  had  been  hitherto  preserved  in  the  hearts 
and  mouths  of  his  disciples,  was,  upon  this  occasion. 


Chap.  1.         A  Reoiew  of  Ecclesiastical  Hlst()i-ij.  1<53 

inserted  into  the  written  word,  and  is  the  only  authentic 
tradition  concerning  him  which  has  been  transmitted 
to  the  church.  Having  finished  his  pathetic  address, 
he  kneeled  down  and  prayed  with  them.  The  final 
farewell  was  very  affecting ;  for  how  could  those  who 
owed  him  their  souls,  who  had  been  so  often  comforted 
and  edified  by  his  instructions  and  example,  consider 
that  they  were  to  see  him  no  more  in  this  world,  with- 
out being  greatly  moved  ?  They  accompanied  him  to 
the  ship,  and  then  returned.  The  word  which  Luke 
the  historian  makes  use  of  upon  this  occasion,  intimates 
that  the  concern  was  mutual ;  it  signifies,  to  draw 
asunder  by  force,  to  separate  things  joined  together. 
"  When  we  had  gotten  from  them,"  or,  as  it  might  be 
rendered,  "  When  we  had  torn  ourselves  from  them," 
well  expresses  the  close  union  of  their  aft'ections,  and 
the  sorrow  and  reluctance  which  both  sides  felt  at  part- 
ing. 

When  this  struggle*  was  over,  St.  Paul  and  his  com- 
pany put  to  sea  with  a  favourable  gale,  and  having 
touched  at  Coos  and  Rhodes,  two  islands  of  note  in 
the  iEgean  sea,  continued  their  course  to  Patara  in 
Lycia,  where  they  seasonably  met  with  a  ship  upon  the 
point  of  departure  for  Phoenicia,  and  embarking  in 
her,  they  passed  on  the  south  side  of  Cyprus,  and  had 
a  safe  voyage  to  Tyre,  which  being  the  destined  port 
of  the  vessel,  they  landed.  As  he  was  now  not  very 
far  distant  from  Jerusalem,  and  had  finished  that  part 
of  his  voyage  in  which  he  was  most  exposed  to  unavoid- 
able delays,  by  the  occurrences  of  winds  and  weather, 
so  that  he  had  a  fair  probability  of  reaching  Jerusalem 
within  his  prescribed  time,  he  consented  to  stay  seven 

*  Acts  xxi. 


164  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  II. 

days  with  some  disciples*  he  found  there.  From  some 
of  these  he  received  an  intimation,  by  a  prophetic  im- 
pulse, of  the  dangers  he  would  be  exposed  to  if  he 
went  to  Jerusalem ;  but  he  knew  whom  he  had  believed, 
and  being  convinced  that  his  duty  called  him  to  perse- 
viere,  he  was  not  intimidated  by  a  prospect  of  suffering. 
At  the  appointed  time  he  embarked  again,  the  disciples 
with  their  families  accompanying  him  to  the  water  side, 
where  he  took  leave  of  them  in  an  affectionate  prayer 
upon  the  sea  shore f.  He  landed  next  at  Ptolemais,  a 
city  of  Galilee,  and  staid  one  day  with  the  brethren 
there.  The  next  day  he  proceeded  to  Caesarea,  and 
lodged  at  the  house  of  Philip  the  deacon,  who  had  four 
daughters  endued  with  the  spirit  of  prophecy. 

During  his  stay  at  Caesarea,  a  prophet  named  Aga- 
bus  came  down  from  Jerusalem,  and  agreeably  to  the 
manner  of  the  ancient  prophets,  who  frequently  en- 
forced their  declarations  by  expressive  signs  and  actions, 
he  bound  his  own  hands  and  feet  with  the  apostle's  girdle, 
assuring  them,  in  the  name  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  in 
the  same  manner  the  Jews  would  bind  the  hands  and 
feet  of  the  man  to  whom  that  girdle  belonged,  and  de- 
liver him  up  as  a  criminal  to  the  Roman  power.  Upon 
these  repeated  premonitions  of  what  he  was  to  expect 

*  Ver.  4.  Anv^ovrti  tqv;  /AaSnraf  might  be  rendered,  "  finding  out 
"  the  disciples."  There  seems  no  reason  for  suppressing  the  ar- 
ticle, and  the  verb  is  used  for  finding  out,  in  consequence  of  some 
description  or  inquiry,Luke  ii.  16.  We  readily  suppose, from  the 
apostle's  character,  that  his  first  inquiry  upon  coming  to  any  place 
where  the  Gospel  had  been  pycached,  related  to  those  who  loved 
the  Lord  Jesus,  and  how  they  were  to  be  met  with. 

t  Could  many  persons  now  living  have  seen  this,  without 
doubt  they  would  have  said,  they  had-  seen  a  strange  company 
f)f  enthusiasts  and  fanatics. 


Chap.  1.         J  Itevieiv  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  1G5 

not  only  the  disciples  of  Ccesarea,  but  those  who  had 
come  witli  him,  earnestly  entreated  him  to  desist  from 
his  purpose.  We  may  learn  from  this  passage,  that 
the  clearest  intelligence  of  approaching  danger  is  not 
always  a  sufficient  warrant  to  decline  it,  even  when,  in 
the  judgment  of  our  brethren,  we  might  decline  it 
without  sin.  St.  Paul  was  satisfied  that,  all  circum- 
stances considered,  it  was  right  for  him  to  proceed.  He 
had  taken  his  determination  upon  good  grounds,  was 
brought  so  far  on  his  w  ay  in  safety ;  and  to  be  told, 
though  from  an  infallible  authorit}'^,  that  his  views  of 
service  could  not  be  completed  without  great  risk  and 
trouble  to  himself,  did  not  discourage  him  in  the  least. 
He  was  less  affected  by  the  prospect  of  sufferings  from 
the  Jews  than  by  the  solicitations  of  his  friends;  and 
told  them,  that  though  they  could  not  shake  his  reso- 
lution, their  concern  and  importunity  exceedingly  dis- 
tressed him.  "  What  mean  you  to  weep,  and  to  break 
"  my  heart?  I  am  ready  not  to  be  bound  only,  but 
"  also  to  die,  for  the  sake  of  the  Lord  Jesus."  In  this 
short  speech  wc  may  discern  a  spirit  which  is  indeed 
the  honour  of  human  nature.  Inflexibly  firm  to  his 
character  and  duty,  yet  expressing  the  most  tender 
feelings  for  his  friends  :  while  he  contemplated  the  se- 
verest trials  that  might  affect  himself  unmoved,  he  was 
almost  overpowered  by  what  he  felt  for  others.  But 
when  they  saw  that  he  was  not  to  be  dissuaded,  they 
desisted  from  their  suit,  and  acquiesced  in  the  will  of 
the  Lord. 

A.  D.  59-^  Having  staid  some  time  at  C'cesarea, 
he  proceeded  to  Jerusalem;  his  friends,  who  had  crossed 
the  sea  with  him,  resolving  to  expose  themselves  to  a 
share  of  the  dangers  from  which  they  could  not  divert 
him.     They  were  accompanied  likewise  by  an  old  dis- 


16&  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History,         Book  II. 

ciple,  named  Mnason,  of  Cyprus,  who  resided  at  Je- 
rusalem, and  had  offered  his  house  for  their  accommo- 
dation. Their  arrival  was  welcome  to  the  brethren  ; 
and  the  next  day  St.  Paul  introduced  his  friends  to  St. 
James  and  the  elders,  who  seem  to  have  met  together 
on  purpose  to  receive  him.  To  them  he  gave  a  succinct 
account  of  the  success  with  which  God  had  honoured 
his  ministry  among  the  Gentiles  ;  which  when  they  had 
heard,  they  unanimously  glorified  God  on  his  behalf, 
and  rejoiced  to  hear  of  the  accession  of  such  numbers 
to  the  Christian  faith*.  But  at  the  same  time  they 
gave  him  to  understand,  that  the  bulk  of  the  Jewish 
converts  had  received  no  small  prejudice  against  him  ; 
that  there  were  even  many  thousands  who  had  heard 
and  believed  hard  things  of  him,  as  one  who  taught 
the  Jews  to  apostatize  from  the  law  of  Moses,  and  for- 
bade them  to  practise  circumcision,  and  the  other  rites 
and  customs  of  their  forefathers.  In  order  to  shovr 
them  that  this  charge  was  groundless,  they  advised  him 
to  join  himself  publicly  with  four  men,  who  were  under 
a  vow,  and  to  attend  with  them  the  prescribed  course 
of  purification  in  the  temple. 

From  this  passage  we  are  led  to  remark,  that,  through 
the  weakness  of  human  nature,  the  prejudices  of  edu- 
cation, and  the  arts  of  Satan,  many  thousands  of  pro- 
fessed Christians,  in  the  first  and  purest  period  of  the 
primitive  church,  while  under  the  care  of  the  apostles, 
had  imbibed,  from  hear-say,  a  degree  of  coldness  and 
dislike  towards  one  of  the  Lord's  most  faithful  and  most 
favoured  servants.  How  far  the  method  St.  Paul  was 
advised  to  pursue,  for  the  removal  of  this  misappre- 
hension,  was  suited  to  his  character  and  known  in- 

*  Acts  xxi. 


Chap.  1.        A  Revieio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  16T 

tegrity,  is  a  question  not  easily  determined.   The  apos- 
tles, considered  in  one  light,  as  the  penmen  of  a  large 
part  of  the  sacred  canon  of  faith  and  practice,  which 
the  Lord  was  pleased  by  them  to  communicate  to  his 
church,  were  doubtless  so  far  under  the  full  direction 
and  inspiration  of  his  Holy  Spirit ;  but  we  have  no 
reason  to  believe  that,  in  every  part  of  their  own  per- 
sonal conduct,  they  were  strictly  infallible :  nay,  we 
have  good  warrant  to   conclude  the  contrary ;  as  St. 
Paul  himself  assures  us,  that,  upon  a  certain  occasion 
already  mentioned,  he  withstood    Peter  to  his  face, 
because  he  was  to  be.  blamed.     It  is  therefore  no  Avay 
derogatory  from  the  character  and  authority  of  Paul, 
to  inquire  whether,   upon  this    occasion,  the  tender- 
ness of  his  spirit  towards  weak  believers,  and  his  desire 
of  becoming  all  things  to  all  men,  (when  the  foundation- 
truths  of  the  Gospel  were  not  affected,)  might  not  carry 
him  too  far.    For  though  a  reserve  was  made  by  James, 
in  favour  of  the  Gentile  converts,  that  they  should  not 
be  burdened  with  the  observance  of  Jewish  rites ;  yet 
the  express  end  and  design  for  which  this  step  was 
proposed  to  him,  and  for  which  he  seems  to  have  un- 
dertaken it,  was,  that  all  might   know  or  believe,  not 
only  that  he  was  not  against  others  adhering  to  the 
Jewish  ceremonies,  but  that  he  likewise  orderly  and 
statedly  practised  them  himself:  a  circumstance  which 
is  far  from  being  clear,  or  indeed  probable,  if  we  con- 
sider the  strain  of  his  epistle  to  the  Galatians,  which, 
though  the  addition  at  the  close  of  our  copies  mentions 
us  sent  from  Rome,  is  generally  allowed  to  have  been 
written  during  his  stay  at  Ephesus  at  the  latest,  if  not 
sooner;  and  further,  that  for  some  time  past  his  con- 
verse had  been  almost  wholly  confined   to  the  Gentile 


168  A  Rcvieio  of  Ecclesiastical  tiintorij.        Book  II. 

believers,  or  to  those  churches  of  which  they  formed 
the  largest  part.  If  he  became  as  a  Jew  amongst  the 
Jews,  it  was,  as  he  says  himself,  only  with  the  hope  of 
gaining*  the  Jews  ;  which  motive  could  no  longer  take 
place  when  he  had  finally  withdrawn  from  their  syna- 
gogues. Those  therefore  who  suppose  that,  in  this  in- 
stance, he  was  over-persuaded  to  deviate  from  that 
openness  of  conduct  which  he  generally  maintained, 
seem  to  have  some  ground  for  their  suspicion.  This, 
however,  is  certain,  his  temporizing  did  not  answer  the 
proposed  end,  but  instead  of  rendering  him  more  ac- 
ceptable, involved  him  in  the  greatest  danger ;  for 
when  the  seven  days  were  almost  fulfilled,  some  Jews 
of  Asia  seeing  him  in  the  temple,  pointed  him  out  to 
the  multitude  as  the  dangerous  man  who  had  apostatized 
from  his  religion,  and  was  using  his  endeavours,  wher- 
ever he  went,  to  draw  people  from  the  worship  of  God 
according  to  the  law  of  Moses.  To  this  they  added, 
that  he  had  profaned  the  holy  place,  by  bringing  Gen- 
tiles with  him  into  the  temple.  This  they  conjectared 
from  having  seen  Trophymus,  an  Ephesian,  with  him 
in  the  city.  This  part  of  the  charge  was  wholly  false; 
he  had  not  brought  his  Gentile  friends  into  the  temple, 
but  he  appeared  so  publicly  with  them  upon  other  oc- 
casions, as  to  give  some  room,  for  a  surmise  of  this 
sort.  If  he  submitted  to  the  proposal  of  the  elders, 
and  attended  in  the  temple  himself,  for  the  satisfaction 
of  the  Jewish  converts,  he  would  not  go  so  far  as  to 
be  ashamed  of  his  friends,  to  make  himself  more  ac- 
ceptable to  his  enemies.  It  is  our  duty  to  avoid  giving 
just  offence;  but  if  we  boldly  and  honestly  rt\ovi  the 

*   I  Cor.  jx.  ?o. 


Chap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  169 

Lord's  people  upon  all  proper  occasions,  without  re- 
gard to  names  and  parties,  we  must  expect  to  suffer 
from  the  zealots  of  all  sides. 

Those  who  first  laid  hands  on  him  were  soon  assisted 
by  great  numbers,  for  the  whole  city  was  moved,  and 
the  people  ran  together  from  all  quarters.  They  drag- 
ged him  out  of  the  temple,  and  were  upon  the  point  of 
killing  him,  without  giving  him  time  or  leave  to  speak  a 
word  for  himself.  They  thought  him  absolutely  in  their 
power,  but  they  were  prevented  by  the  appearance  of 
Lysias,  a  Roman  officer,  who  had  a  post  near  the  tem- 
ple, to  prevent  or  suppress  insurrections.  Upon  the 
first  notice  he  received  of  this  disturbance,  he  came 
down  \yith  a  party  of  soldiers.  The  evangelist  observes, 
that  when  the  Jews  ran  to  kill  Paul,  the  Romans  ran 
to  save  him.  Thus  the  succour  the  Lord  provides  for 
his  people  is  always  proportioned  to  the  case,  and  effec- 
tual to  the  end.  When  danger  is  pressing,  relief  is  speedy. 
Lysias,  though  ignorant  of  the  cause  of  this  tumult, 
judging  by  its  violence  that  the  apostle  must  have  been 
some  great  malefactor,  commanded  him  to  be  bound 
with  two  chains,  and,  when  he  could  obtain  no  satis- 
factory inforflmation  from  the  people,  had  him  removed 
to  the  castle,  or  Roman  station;  but  such  wasthe  vio- 
lence of  the  incensed,  unmeaning  multitude,  that  the 
soldiers  were  constrained  to  can'y  him  in  their  arms 
up  the  steps,  or  stairs,  which  led  thither  from  the  tem- 
ple. Here  Paul  obtained  leave  to  speak  for  himself; 
the  tribune  inclining  rather  to  a  more  favourable  opi- 
nion of  him,  when  he  found  he  could  speak  Greek ; 
and  the  people  attended  with  some  composure,  when 
they  heard  him  address  them  in  the  Hebrew  or  Syriac 
language. 

Tot.  IIL  Z 


170  A  lievieiv  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  II- 

In  his  discourse*  he  told  them,  that  he  had  been 
brought  up  amongst  themselves ;  and  appealing  to  the 
high  priest  and  elders  concerning  the  zeal  and  earnest- 
ness with  which  he  had  formerly  served  their  party,  he 
related  the  extraordinary  dispensation  by  which  the 
Lord  Jesus  had  conquered  his  heart.  Tliis  was  St.  Paul's 
usual  method  of  defence;  and  though  no  means  are 
sufficient  to  reach  the  heart  without  a  divine  influence, 
yet,  humanly  speaking,  a  simple  and  faithful  declara- 
tion of  what  God  has  done  for  our  souls,  seems  most 
likely  to  convince,  or  at  least  to  soften  and  silence 
those  who  oppose.  Enraged  as  the  Jews  had  been, 
they  listened  with  patience  to  his  relation,  till  he  pro- 
ceeded to  intimate  the  Lord's  designs  in  favour  of  the 
Gentiles,  and  that  he  was  appointed  an  apostle  to 
them.  Accustomed  to  despise  the  rest  of  mankind, 
and  to  deem  themselves  the  only  people  of  God,  they 
could  not  bear  this :  they  interrupted  him  instantly  ; 
and,  with  one  voice,  declared  it  vvas  not  fit  such  a  fel- 
low should  live  upon  the  earth.  They  cast  off  their 
clothes,  threw  dust  in  the  air,  and  their  fury  seemed  to 
deprive  them  of  their  reason.  Lysias,  the  tribune,  se- 
cured him  from  their  violence;  but  commanded  him  to 
be  examined  by  scourging,  that  he  might  know  his 
crime  from  his  own  mouth;  according  to  a  barbarous 
custom  of  putting  those  to  torture  against  whom  there 
was  no  sufficient  evidence,  that  their  own  extorted 
confession  might  furnish  some  grounds  of  proceeding 
against  them  ;  a  custom  still  prevalent  in  most  countries 
J  called  Christian,  though  contrary  to  religion,  to  reason, 
and  to  the  common  sentiments  of  humanity.  Our  Lqrd 

*  Acts  xxii. 


Chap.  1.         A  Review  of  Eccles'm&ticaf  History.  171 

Jesus  was  examined  in  this  manner  before  Pilate ;  and, 
though  the  apostle  was  ready  to  follow  the  steps  of  his 
Master  in  sufFerinor,  y^t,  upon  this  occasion,  he  plead- 
ed his  right  of  exemption  from  such  treatment,  as  being 
a  native  of  Tarsus,  a  city  honoured  with  the  freedom 
of  Rome.  A  Roman  citizen  was  not  legally  liable 
either  to  be  bound  or  scourged  :  therefore,  when  the 
tribune  understood  his  privileges,  he  stopped  further 
proceedings,  and  was  something  apprehensive  for  him- 
self, that  he  had  in  part  violated  them  already,  by 
ordering  him  to  be  bound*';  but  being  still  desirous  to 
know  what  was  laid  to  his  charge,  he  convened  the 
chief  priests  and  the  members  of  the  Sanhedrim  on  the 
next  day,  and  brought  him  again  before  them. 

The  apostle,  fixing  his  eyes  upon  the  high  priest  and 
council,  as  one  who  was  neither  ashamed  nor  afraid  'j: 
to  appear  at  their  tribunal,  began  with  a  declaration 
that  he  had  lived  to  that  day  in  the  exercise  of  a  good 
conscience  ;  but  Ananias,  the  high  priest,  forgetting  his 
character  as  a  judge,  commanded  those  who  stood  near 
to  strike  him  on  the  face.  The  apostle  severely  re- 
buked his  partiality,  in  perverting  the  cause  of  justice, 
and  warned  him  of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God, 
the  supreme  Judge,  who  would  surely  punish  his  h3^po- 
crisyj.  His  reply  to  those  who  reproved  him  for 
speaking  in  such  terms  to  the  high  priest,  seems  to  in- 

*  A  Roman  citizen  might  be  bound  with  a  chain,  but  not  tied 
with  thongs,  or  beaten  with  rods.  <  Facinus  est  vinciri  civem 
<  Romanum,  scelus  verberari.'     Cicero. 

t  Acts  xxiii. 

%  "  Thou  whited  wall  !"  A  clay  wall,  glossed  over  with  white, 
is  an  apt  emblem  of  a  man  who  carries  on  a  malicious  design  un- 
der the  pretence  and  forms  of  justice. '  Hateful  is  the  character, 
and  dreadfully  dangerous  the  condition  of  such. 


172  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Hist  or//.        Book.  II. 

timate,  that  the  injurious  treatment  he  had  received  had 
raised  an  undue  warmth  in  his  spirit,  though  it  may  be 
supposed  that  he  denounced  his  future  doom  under  a 
superior  and  prophetic  impulse.    But  knowing  that  the 
council  was  composed  of  Pharisees  and  Sadducees, 
who  were  at  variance  amongst  themselves  about  several 
weighty  points,  particularly  the  doctrine  of  a  resurrec- 
tion, he  declared    himself  a  Pharisee,  and   that  the 
opposition  he  met  with  from  the  Sadducees  was  owing 
to  his  belief  and  hope  in  that  doctrine.     The  Pharisees 
immediately  suspended  their    present    resentment,  to 
embrace  the  occasion  offered  of  opposing  their  old  an- 
tagonists, and  upon  this  issue  espoused  his  cause,  de- 
claring him  innocent ;  and  said,  that  if  a  spirit  or  angel, 
(the  existence  of  both  which  the  Sadducees  denied,)  had 
spoken  to  him,  they  ought  not  to  fight  against  God,  by 
refusing  to  hear  him.     Upon  this,  a  great  dissention 
took  place ;  and  Lysias,   fearing  that  Paul  would  be 
torn  in  pieces  between  the  contending  parties,  put  an 
end  to  the  conference,  and  ordered  the  soldiers  to  take 
him  by  force  and  secure  him  in  the  castle.     It  is,  in-j^ 
deed,  often  well  for  believers,   that  the  people  of  the 
world,  though  agreed  in  one  point,  namely,  to  oppose 
the  Gospel,  are  divided  and  subdivided  in  other  res- 
pects ;    so  that,  for  the  sake  of  a  favourite  passion,  or 
to  cross  an  opposite  interest,  they  will  sometimes  pro- 
tect those  whom  they   would  otherwise   willingly  de- 
stroy. 

The  nexk  night  he  received  full  amends  for'  all  he 
had  suffered,  and  was  confirmed  against  the  utmost 
efforts  of  his  enemies'  malice ;  for  the  Lord  Jesus^ 
whom  he  served,  vouchsafed  to  appear  to  him  in  a 
vision,  commanded  him  to  be  of  good  cheer,  owned  his 
gracious  acceptance  of  his  late  testimony  in  Jerusalem, 


Chap.  J,        ui  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Histaty.  173 

and  promised  that  none  should  hinder  him  the  honour 
of  bearing  witness  to  his  truth  at  Rome  likewise.  The 
world  has  been  sometimes  surprised  at  the  confidence 
which  the  faithful  servants  of  Christ  have  shown  in  the 
midst  of  dangers,  and  in  the  face  of  death ;  but  if  their 
supports  were  known,  the  wonder  would  cease.  If  the 
Lord  speaks,  his  word  is  effectual ;  and  when  he  says. 
Be  of  good  courage,  and  fear  not !  his  people,  out  of 
weakness,  are  made  strong. 

Little  were  the  incredulous  Jews  aware  of  what  a  power 
and  vigilance  were  engaged  in  his  preservation ;  and 
therefore  impatient  of  delays,  they  resolved  to  destroy 
him  immediately.  To  manifest  their  resolution,  and  to 
quicken  their  diligence,  more  than  forty  of  them  bound 
themselves  under  the  penalty  of  the  great  curse,  or  Ana- 
thema, not  to  eat  or  drink  till  they  had  killed  him. 
They  acquainted  the  priests  and  rulers  with  their  en- 
gagement, and  proposed,  that  they  should  request  Ly- 
sias  to  order  him  once  more  to  appear  before  them  in 
counfil,  and  that  then  those  who  had  combined  in  this 
oath  would  be  ready  to  assassinate  him.  But  no  coun- 
sel or  device  can  stand  against  the  Lord.  This  black 
design  was,  by  some  means,  providentially  made  known 
to  a  young  man  who  was  Paul's  sister's  son,  who  gave 
notice  of  it  first  to  him,  and  then,  by  his  desire,  to 
Lysias ;  who,  finding  the  Jews  implacably  bent  against 
Paul's  life,  determined  to  place  him  further  out  of  their 
reach,  and  accordingly  sent  him  away,  that  same  night, 
under  a  strong  guard,  who  conducted  him  to  Ctesarea, 
and  delivered  him  to  Felix,  the  Roman  governor,  to- 
gether with  a  letter  from  Lysias,  importing  his  care  to 
preserve  the  prisoner,  because  he  understood  him  to  be 
a  Roman  citizen,  and  that  he  bad  commanded  his  ac- 


174  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  It. 

cusers  to  follow.  Thus  the  conspiracy,  which  his  ene- 
mies had  fornied  to  destroy  him,  proved  the  occasion  of 
his  deliverance  out  of  their  hands. 

In  about  five  days  afterwards,  Ananias,  the  high 
priest,  with  the  ciders  of  the  council,  appeared*  be- 
fore Felix,  against  Paul.  The  charge  was  opened  by 
Tertullus,  a  venal  orator  or  advocate,  whom  they  had 
retained  for  this  purpose  ;  who  began  with  a  commend- 
ation of  the  governor,  in  terms  wliich  might  have 
suited  the  illustrious  actions  and  wise  measures  of 
princes  studious  of  the  public  good,  but  were  ill  ap- 
plied to  Felix,  (who  was  infamous  for  his  cruelty  and  op- 
pression,) and  in  the  name  of  the  Jews  m  ho  hated  him. 
But  ennjity  to  the  Gospel  will  make  men  stoop  to  the 
meanest  flattery  and  servility,  if,  by  that  means,  they 
have  hope  of  gaining  their  point !  The  sum  of  the  ac- 
cusation was  that  Paul  was  an  enemy  to  church  and 
state,  a  disturber  of  the  established  religion,  and  a 
mover  of  sedition  against  the  government ;  to  which  was 
added,  as  a  popular  proof  of  the  charge,  that  he  was  a 
ringleader  of  the  sect  or  heresy  of  the  Nazarenes,  so 
called  from  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  who  was  crucified  by  a 
former  governor  for  asserting  himself  to  be  a  king. 
Thus  much  seems  implied  in  the  term  Xazarene,  as  the 
Jews  used  it.  The  apostle  began  his  defence  with  a 
protestation  of  his  innocence,  as  to  any  design  of  mov- 
ing sedition  or  tumult,  which,  he  said,  his  enemies  were 
unable  to  prove  by  a  single  fact.  He  proceeded  to  in- 
form the  governor  of  the  true  motives  of  their  enmity 
against  him,  and  acknowledged  that  he  worshipped  God 
in  a  way  which  they  stigmatized  with  the  name  of  he- 

*  Acts  xxiv. 


Ghap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  175 

resy  or  division ;  for  the  proper*  meaning  of  heresy  is  no 
more  than  sect  or  party.  By  further  declaring  that  lie 
worshipped  tlie  God  of  his  fathers,  and  beUeved  all 
things  written  in  the  law  and  the  prophets,  he  proved, 
from  the  object  and  the  manner  of  his  worship,  that  he 
was  not  guilty  of  any  blanieable  innovations.  He  pro- 
fessed the  hope  of  a  resurrection,  which  his  enemies 
could  not  but  allow,  and  that  it  was  his  constant  study  f 
and  endeavour  to  maintain  a  conscience  void  of  oftence; 
and  added,  that  it  was  not  he,  but  the  Jews  themselves, 
who  had  raised  the  tumult,  by  assaulting  him  when  he 
was  peaceably  attending  in  the  temple,  according  to  the 
prescribed  rules.     He  observed,  that  his  first  accusers 

*  As  the  apostle  only  cautions  Titus  to  reject  or  avoid  a  heretic, 
(Tit.  iii.  10.)  but  has  not  defined  him  expressly,  many  writers  and 
teachers  have  had  a  fair  field  to  exercise  their  skill  or  their  pas- 
sions upon  the  subject ;  yet  the  question  is  far  from  determined  to 
this  day.  Some  would  treat  all  those  as  heretics  who  diifer  frona 
them,  either  in  judgment  or  practice ;  others  explain  the  word 
quite  away,  as  though  the  admonition  to  avoid  a  heretic  was  whol- 
ly unnecessary.  Perhaps  the  advice  to  Titus  is  nearly,  if  not  jex- 
actly,  equivalent  to  Rom.  xvi.  1 7.  The  spirit  of  truth  produces  uni- 
ty ;  the  spirit  of  division  is  heresy.  And  the  man  who  fiercely 
stickles  for  opinions  of  his  own,  who  acts  contrary  to  the  peace- 
able, forbearing,  humble  spirit  of  the  Gospel,  who  affects  to  form 
a  party,  and  to  be  thought  considerable  in  it,  is  so  far  a  heretic. 

t  Acts  xxiv.  1 6.  The  Greek  word  here  used,  («o-)cew,)  denotes  the 
study,  diligence,  and  proficiency  of  a  person  who  is  desirous  to  ex- 
cel and  be  eminent  in  any  particular  art :  as  a  painter,  for  instance ; 
he  searches  out  the  best  masters  and  the  best  pieces ;  he  studies, 
and  copies  the  benuties  of  others'  works,  and  is  continually  re- 
touching aiid  impi'oving  upon  his  own:  his  acquaintance,  re- 
flections, and  recreations;  are  all  accommodated  to  his  main  pur- 
pose ;  and,  though  his  pencil  is  sometimes  at  rest,  his  imagination 
is  seldom  idle.  Similar  to  this  is  the  exoxise  of  a  good  con- 
science, formed  upon  the  model  of  the  Scripture,  and  improved 
by  diligence,  meditation,  examination,  and  experience. 


17G  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Uistorfj,        Book  11* 

were  not  present,  as  they  ought  to  have  been  ;  and  chal- 
lenged any,  who  were  within  hearing,  to  prove  their  al- 
legations in  any  one  instance. 

Felix,  having,  perhaps,  a  favourable  opinion  of  the 
Christian  profession,  which  had  been  settled  some  time 
at  Cassarea,  and  being  likewise  desirous  of  further  in- 
formation, deferred  the  full  discussion  of  the  affair  till 
the  arrival  of  Lysias ;  and  committed  Paul,  in  the  mean 
time,  to  the  care  of  a  centurion,  as  a  prisoner  at  large  ; 
allowing  him  to  go  abroad  in  the  city,  and  giving  his 
friends  liberty  to  visit  him  at  home.  And  thus  he 
was  providentially  delivered  from  the  blood-thirsty 
Jews,  and  found  an  asylum  in  the  Roman  power, 
which  they  had  endeavoured  to  engage  for  his  de- 
struction. 

A.  D.  60.]  He  was  sent  for,  not  long  after,  by  Felix, 
and  discoursed  before  him  and  his  wife  Drusilla,  con- 
cerning the  faith  of  Christ.  Curiosity  was  the  gover- 
nor's motive;  but  the  apostle,  who  knew  his  character, 
was  faithful  to  him,  and  would  not  speak  of  the  faith 
of  Christ  only  to  one  who  could  not  understand  it,  but 
made  a  home  application,  by  enlarging  on  righteousness, 
temperance,  and  the  important  consequences  of  a  fu- 
ture judgment.  These  were  fit  topics  to  press  upon 
an  unjust  and  rapacious  governor,  who  lived  in  adul- 
ter}'^,  Drusilla,  his  reputed  wife,  having  forsaken  a 
lawful  husband  to  live  with  him.  She  was  by  birth  a 
Jewess,  daughter  of  the  Herod  whose  death  we  have 
already  mentioned ;  and,  having  renounced  her  religion 
and  her  husband  for  Felix,  was,  by  the  judgment  of 
God,  given  up  to  hardness  of  heart;  so  that  it  does  not 
appear  that  the  apostle's  discourse  made  any  impres- 
sion upon  her.  It  was  otherwise  with  Felix,  who, 
though  a  wicked  man,  had  sinned  against  less  light :  he 


Cliap.  1.         A  llcvieiv  of  Ecclesiastical  Hi stonj.  177 

trembled  at  Avhat  he  heard  ;  and,  not  able  to  conceal 
his  concern,  he  cut  short  the  interview,  with  a  promise 
to  send  for  him  again  at  a  convenient  season.  So  great 
sometimes  is  the  power  of  truth,  when  faithfully  en- 
forced !  With  this  only  advantage  on  his  side,  Paul, 
the  prisoner,  triumphs  over  a  haughty  governor,  and 
makes  him  tremble.  Great  likewise  is  the  power  of 
sin  I  Felix  trembled  at  the  review  of  the  past,  and  the 
prospect  of  the  future  ;  but  he  could  not  stop  ;  he  found 
some  avocation  for  his  present  relief,  and  put  off  his 
most  important  concerns  to  a  fitter  opportunit}^  which, 
it  is  probable,  never  came.  lie  saw  and  heard  Paul 
afterwards  ;  but  the  same  man  had  no  more  the  same 
influence,  the  accompanying  force  of  the  Spirit  was 
M- ithheld,  and  then  he  had  no  further  view  in  convers- 
ing with  him,  but  the  hope  of  receiving  money  for  his 
enlargement.  When  the  apostle  had  continued  in  this 
situation  about  two  years,  Felix  was  recalled  from  his 
government.  He  had  governed  the  Jews  with  severity 
and  injustice,  and  had  reason  to  fear  they  would  accuse 
him  to  the  emperor ;  therefore,  to  ingratiate  himself 
with  them,  he  left  Paul  in  his  confinement,  thinking 
that  the  detention  of  the  person  they  hated  might  make 
them  more  readily  excuse  M-hat  was  past ;  or,  at  least, 
he  durst  not  provoke  them  further  by  releasinsf  him. 

A.  D.  62.]  When  Festus,  who  succeeded  Felix  in 
the  government,  went  up  to  Jerusalem  *,  the  high 
priest  and  elders  applied  to  him,  and  requested  that 
Paul  might  be  sent  thither  to  be  tried  before  the  coun* 
cil ;  and  they  appointed  proper  instruments  to  assault 
and  murder  him  in  the  journey.  It  stems  they  ex- 
pected this  favour  would  be  easily  granted,  as  Xt  is  usual 

Acts  XXV. 
Vol.  hi.  2  A 


1 78  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  II. 

for  governors,  at  their  first  coming  amongst  a  people, 
to  do  some  popular  act ;  but  Festus  refused,  and  com- 
manded them  to  follow  him  to  Cacsarea,  where  he 
himself  would  judge  in  the  cause.  The  Jews  accord- 
ingly exerted  themselves  in  one  more  effort,  and,  when 
Testus  was  returned  to  Caesarea,  presented  themselves 
before  him  on  an  appointed  day ;  and  Paul  being 
brought  into  the  court,  they  accused  him  heavily,  as 
they  had  done  before,  and  to  as  little  effect,  not  being 
able  to  prove  any  thing  against  him,  or  to  invalidate  his 
protestation  that  he  had  committed  no  offence,  either 
against  the  law  or  the  temple,  or  the  Roman  govern- 
ment. Festus,  who  had  refused  to  send  him  to  Jeru- 
salem before,  was  now  willing  to  oblige  them,  per- 
ceiving the  controversy  was  of  a  religious  kind,  and 
ivhat  he  had  little  knowledge  of:  he  therefore  asked 
Paul,  if  he  was  willing  to  be  tried,  in  his  pre- 
sence, before  the  council  at  Jerusalem.  The  apostle, 
%¥ho  knew  what  treatment  he  might  expect  from  the 
Jews,  answered,  that  he  was  then  at  Cassar's  judg- 
ment-seat, where  he  ought  to  be  tried,  and  that,  if 
found  guilty,  he  was  not  unwilling  to  suffer ;  but  that 
against  the  proposal  of  being  delivered  up  to  those  who 
thirsted  for  his  blood,  he  appealed  to  Caesar.  This  was 
one  privilege  of  a  Roman  citizen,  that,  when  he  thought 
himself  aggrieved  in  an  inferior  court,  he  might,  by  en- 
tering such  an  appeal,  put  a  stop  to  proceedings,  and 
refer  the  cause  to  the  immediate  determination  of  the 
emperor.  From  the  example  of  St.  Paul,  who  counted 
not  his  life  dear,  but  was  willing,  not  only  to  be  bound, 
but  to  die  for  the  Lord  Jesus,  we  learn,  that  it  is  very 
allowable  for  a  Christian  to  avail  himself  of  the  laws 
and  privileges  of  his  country,  when  unjustly  persecuted 
for  righteousness'  sake  :  and  perhaps,  in  some  cases,  it 


Chap.  1.         A  lieview  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  179 

would  be  blameable  to  omit  it.  Civil  liberty  is  a  deposi- 
tum  with  which  we  are  intrusted  for  posterity,  and,  by 
all  lawful  means,  should  be  carefully  preserved.  Fes- 
tus,  after  having  consulted  with  his  council  and  lawyers 
upon  this  unexpected  turn,  admitted  the  appeal,  and 
determined  he  should  be  sent  to  Rome.  Paul  had  long 
had  a  desire  to  visit  the  believers  in  that  city,  and  had 
formed  some  plans  concerning  it.  But  it  is  not  in  man 
that  walketh  to  direct  his  steps.  His  way  was  now 
opened  in  a  manner  he  had  not  thought  of;  but  in 
such  a  manner  as  made  it  more  evident,  that  his  bonds 
proved  to  the  furtherance  of  the  Gospel. 

Soon  after  tiiis,  Agrippa,  son  of  the  late  Herod,  who 
had  large  territories  and  the  title  of  king,  under  the 
Romans,  came,  with  his  sister  Bernice,  to  congratu- 
late Festus  upon  his  accession  to  his  government.  He 
was  a  man  of  a  fair  character,  a  professed  Jew,  but  pos- 
sessed of  moderation  and  prudence.  During  their  stay, 
Festus  informed  them  of  what  had  lately  happened  con- 
cerning Paul.  The  whole  that  he  understood  of  the 
affair  was,  that  he  had  not  been  guilty  of  any  crime ; 
but  that  his  accusers  had  certain  questions  against  him 
of  their  own  superstitions,  and  concerning  one  Jesus, 
who  was  dead,  and  whom  Paul  affirmed  to  be  alive. 
To  him  the  life  and  the  death  of  Jesus  were  points  of 
equal  indifference  :  not  so  to  those  who  believe  he 
died  for  them,  and  who  expect  that  because  he  lives, 
they  shall  live  also.  This  imperfect  account  made 
Agrippa  desirous -to  hear  Paul  himself;  and,  accord- 
ingly,' the  liext  day,  Agrippa,  Bernice,  and  Festus, 
being  seated    in*    court,    attended   by    theii'    officers 

*  The  apology  St.  Paul  made  for  himself  was  not  his  trial;  he 
had  already  stoppedall  proceeding  sat  law  by  his  appeal  to  Caesar ; 
iK)r  was  Festus  then  as  a  judge  upon  his  tribunal. 


180  A  Revieio  of  Ecclesiastical  Histonj.        Book  II. 

and  train,  and  a  number  of  the  principal  people, 
Paul  was  once  more  brought  forth*  to  speak  in  public 
for  himself.  On  tiiis  occasion  lie  addressed  himself 
particularly  to  Agrippa  ;  and,  having  expressed  his  sa- 
tisfaction that  he  was  permitted  to  speak  before  one 
who  was  so  well  acquainted  with  the  laws  and  customs 
of  the  Jevvs,  he  related  the  cause  of  his  present  con- 
finement, lie  professed  his  faith  and  hope  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  then,  as  he  had  done  before,  he  gave  him  an 
account  of  the  extraordinary  means  by  which  he  had 
been  changed  from  af  persecutor  to  a  follower  of  Jesus, 
in  his  journey  to  Damascus.  His  defence  therefore,  (as 
has  been  formerly  observed,)  was  rather  experimental 
than  argumentative,  and  made  very  different  impres- 
sions upon  his  hearers.  Festus,  who  seems  to  have 
had  a  good  opinion  of  his  sincerity  and  intention,  yet, 
supposing  no  man  in  his  sober  senses  could  believe  such 
a  strange  story,  interrupted  him  in  his  narration,  and, 
with  an  air,  rather  of  pity  than  indignation,  said, 
*'  Paul,  thou  art  beside  thyself!  much  learning  hath 
"  made  thee  mad:|:!"  A  similar  judgment  is  passed,  by 

*  Acts  xxvi. 

t  Speaking  of  his  past  conduct  towards  the  disciples,  he  calls  it 
madness ;  being  exceedinglij,  or,  (as  we  express  it,)  raging  mad  a- 
gainst  them.  A  man  in  this  state  will  assault  any  person  he  meets ; 
he  waits  for  no  provocation,  listens  to  no  entreaty,  regards  no  con- 
sequences. Thus  the  apostle  judged  of  himself  when  a  perse- 
cutor of  the  church;  and  the  spirit  of  persecution  in  every  age 
has  been  the  same.  IMay  God  restore  tliosc  to  their  right  minds 
who  are  governed  by  it  ! 

\  His  answer  to  Festus  is  expressed  with  much  accuracy  and 
precision.  "  I  am  not  mad,  most  noble  Festus  1  but  speak  forth^ 
"  («'5r&^65yyoju,a»,)  the  words  of  truth  and  soberness."  Madness  dis- 
covers itself  either  in  the  apprehension  of  a  false  object,  or  in  the 
false  apprehension  of  a  true  one.  The  things  he  spoke  of  were 
true  in  themselves,  and  his  ideas  of  them  just  and  proportionate. 


C'hap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastieal  History.  181 

too  many,  upon  all  who  profess  an  acquaintance  with 
the  life  of  faith  in  an  unseen  Jetus ;  but,  ordinarily, 
now  the  effect  is  not  ascribed  to  the  excess  of  learn- 
ing, but  to  the  want  of  it :  as,  on  the  other  hand,  a 
man  who  maintains  the  >vildest  absurdities,  puts  his 
judgment  and  understanding  to  little  hazard  in  the 
world's  esteem,  if  his  chimeras  are  set  off  with  a  com- 
petent apparatus  of  literature.  Agrippa,  however,  was 
differently  affected,  especially  when  Paul  made  a  bold 
appeal  to  himself,  concerning  the  notoriety  of  the  facts 
which  had  lately  happened,  and  the  truth  of  the  pro- 
phecies with  which  they  were  connected.  Here  the 
power  of  truth  triumphed  again  ;  and  Agrippa  was  so 
struck,  that,  without  regarding  the  numerous  assembly, 
or  the  displeasure  such  a  declaration  might  give  both 
to  Jews  and  Romans,  particularly  to  Festus,  who  had 
expressed  his  sentiment  just  before,  he  gave  way  to  the 
emotions  of  his  mind,  and  said  aloud,  "  Almost  thou 
"  persuadest  me  to  be  a  Christian."  Yet  this  was  but 
an  involuntary  conviction;  it  did  honour  to  the  apostle, 
but  was  of  no  benefit  to  himself.  And  the  concession 
which,  at  first  view,  seems  to  proceed  from  an  ingenu- 
ous spirit,  when  closely  examined,  amounts  but  to  this, 
that  though  Agrippa  was,  indeed,  convinced  of  the 
truth,  his  heart  was  so  attached  to  the  present  evil 
world,  that  he  had  neither  courage  nor  will  to  follow  it : 
as  when  we  say  of  a  picture.  It  looks  almost  alive,  we 
do  not  mean,  strictly,  that  there  is  any  more  life  in  the 
painting,  than  in  the  canvass  on  which  it  is  drawn,  but 
only  that  the  resemblance  is  strong ;  so  the  almost 
Christian,  however  specious  in  his  professions,  is  still 
destitute  of  that  living  principle  which  alone  can  enable 
him  to  make  them  good,  and  is,  in  reality,  an  utter 
stranger  to  true  Christianity.     In  the  graceful  retura 


182  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         iBook  II. 

the  apostle  made  to  the  kings  acknowledgment,  he 
hinted  at  this  defect,  wishing  that  both  Agrippa,  and 
all  who  heard  him,  were  not  only  almost,  but  altoge- 
ther, as  he  was  himself,  with  an  exception  to  the  chains 
he  wore  for  the  cause  of  the  Gospel.  This  answer  dis- 
covers, in  one  view,  the  confidence  he  had  in  his  cause, 
the  happy  frame  of  his  mind,  the  engaging  turn  of  his 
address,  and  his  unbounded  benevolence.  He  could 
•wish  nothing  better,  than  what  he  himself  felt,  to  his 
dearest  friends,  and  he  wished  nothing  worse  to  his 
greatest  enemies ;  nay,  he  wished  that  his  enemies 
might,  if  possible,  experience  all  his  comforts,  without 
imy  of  his  trials.  When  Festus  and  Agrippa  were 
wil'idrawn,  they  agreed  in  their  opinion,  that  he  had 
done  nothing  deserving  of  death,  or  even  of  imprison- 
ment, and  that  he  might  have  been  released,  if  he  had 
not  himself  prevented  it  by  appealing  to  Cassar. 

In  consequence  of  the  determination  to  send  him  to 
Rome  *,  he  was  committed  to  the  custody  of  a  centu- 
rion named  Julius,  with  whom  he  embarked  in  a  ves- 
sel that  was  on  a  trading  voyage  to  several  parts  of  the 
Lesser  Asia.  Aristarchus,  and  some  other  of  his 
friends,  went  with  him  ;  and  particularly  the  evangelist 
Luke,  who  seems  to  have  been  the  inseparable  compa- 
nion of  his  travels  from  the  first  time  he  was  at  Troas. 
They  touched  the  following  day  at  Sidon,  where  the 
centurion  gave  him  liberty  to  refresh  himself,  and  vi- 
sit his  friends.  At  their  next  port,  Myra,  in  Lycia,  a 
vessel  offering  which  was  bound  directly  for  Italy,  they 
went  on  board  her.  In  the  beginning  of  this  passage 
they  were  retarded  by  contrary  winds.  At  length  they 
reached  the  island  of  Crete,  (now  called  Candia,)  and 
having  put  into  a  port,  called  the  Fair-Havens,  Paul 
*  Acts  xxvii. 


Chap.  1:  A  Revieio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  183 

would  have  persuaded  them  to  have  staid  there,  inti- 
mating that  as  the  winter  was  now  advancing,  they 
would  meet  with  many  inconveniences  and  dangers,  if 
they  ventured  to  proceed  any  further.  Long  voyages 
were  seldom  attempted  during  the  winter  in  those 
days,  or  for  many  ages  after,  till  the  knowledge  of  the 
compass  made  way  for  those  great  improvements  in  na- 
vigation, which  now  embolden  the  mariner  to  sail  in- 
differently at  any  season  of  the  year.  But,  it  is  proba- 
ble, the  apostle's  precaution  was  not  merely  founded 
upon  the  obvious  disadvantages  of  the  season,  but  ra- 
ther upon  an  extraordinary  pre-intimation  of  what  was 
soon  to  happen.  But  his  remonstrance  was  over- 
ruled, the  centurion  preferring  the  judgment  of  the 
master  of  the  ship,  who  thought  it  best,  if  possible,  to 
reach  another  haven  at  the  west  end  of  the  island,, 
which  was  thought  to  be  more  commodious  and  safe 
than  the  place  Paul  proposed.  A  favourable  wind 
springing  up  from  the  south  determined  their  resolves, 
and  they  set  sail  with  a  good  confidence  of  soon  reach- 
ing their  desired  port. 

There  is  little  doubt  but  Paul's  case  and  character 
had,  by  this  time,  engaged  the  notice  of  many  of  his 
fellow-passengers  in  the  ship.  Upon  a  superficial  in- 
quiry, they  would  learn,  that  he  was  the  follower  of 
one  Jesus,  who  had  been  crucified ;  that  he  was 
esteemed  a  setter-fprth  of  strange  gods,  and  charged 
with  having  disturbed  the  public  peace  wherever  he 
came.  He  probably  took  frequent  occasions  to  speak 
of  his  Lord  and  Master  to  those  about  him  ;  and,  as  he 
had  several  companions,  the  manner  of  their  social 
worship  could  hardly  pass  unobserved  ;  but  no  emer- 
gency had  as  yet  occurred  to  manifest  the  solidity  and 
force  of  his  principles  to  full  advantage,  and  to  make  it 
evident  to  all  with  whom  he  sailed,  that  his  God  was 


184  A  ^evieio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  II. 

far  unlike  the  idols  of  the  Heathens ;  and  that  the  reli- 
gion which  prompted  him  to  do  and  suiter  so  much  for 
the  sake  of  Jesus,  was  founded  not  in  the  imaginations 
and  inventions  of  men,  but  in  reality  and  truth.     In 
prosperous  circumstances,  most  people  are  easily  satis- 
fied with  their  own  principles,  and  are  ready  to  take  it 
for  granted,  that  even  the  notions  received  from  no  bet- 
ter source  than  tradition  or  custom,  cannot  l)e  wrons. 
6r  at  least,  will  not  be  dangerous  ;  but  it  is  in  a  season 
of  uncommon  distress  that  the  truth  and  efficacy  of  vital 
religion  appear  with  the  most  incontestable  authority. 
The  God  who  alone   can  deliver   when   all   hope  of 
safety  is  taken  away,  and  the  religion  which  can  in- 
spire a  man  with  confidence  and  peace  when  there  is 
nothing  but  dismay  and  confusion  around  him,  will  then 
extort  some  acknowledgment,  even  from  those  who  had 
before  thought  of  them  with  indifference.     From  these 
considerations  we  may  collect  one  general  reason  why 
the  Lord,  who,  by  his  divine  providence,  adjusts  the 
time  and  circumstances  of  every  event,  and  without 
M'hose  permission  not  a  sparrow  can  fall  to  the  ground, 
permits  his  faithful  people  to  be  so  often  exercised  with 
severe  trials.     It  is  to  manifest  that  their  hopes  are  well 
grounded  ;  that  they  have  not  taken  up  with  words  and 
notions,  but  have  a  real  and  sure  support,  and  can 
hope  and  rejoice  in  God  under  those  pressures  which 
deprive  others  of  all  their  patience  and  all  their  cou- 
rage :  and,  on  the  other  hand,  to  evince  that  his  power 
and  faithfulness  are  surely  engaged  on  their  behalf;  that 
he  puts  an  honour  upon  their  prayers,  is  near  to  help 
them  in  the  time  of  trouble,  and  can  deliver  them  out 
of  their  greatest  extremities.     We  are  not  then  to  won- 
der  that  this  favoured  servant  of  the  Lord,  after  having 
endured  so  many  sufferings  and  hardships  upon  the 
land,  was  exposed   in  the  course  of  this  voyage,   to 


Chap.  1.  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  185 

equal  dangers  and  difficulties   upon   the  sea ;  for  they 
had  not  long  quitted  their  last  port  before  their  hopes  of 
gaining  a  better  were  blasted  ;  they  were  overtaken  by 
a  sudden  and  violent  storm.     The  name  given  it  by  the 
historian,  Euroclydon,  expresses   its  direction  to  have 
been  from  the  eastern  quarter,  and  its  energy  upon  the 
n'aves.    The  tempest  irresistib'y  overpowered  the  ma- 
riners, and  rendered  their  art  impracticable  and  vain. 
They  were  compelled  to  abandon  the  ship  to  the  direc- 
tion of  the  wind,  and  were  hurried  away  they  knew  not 
whither.     Mention  is  made  of  the  difficulty  they  had  to 
secure  the  ship's  boat,  as  the  only  probable  means  of 
escaping  if  they  should  be   wrecked,  which  yet,  in  the 
event,  was  wholly  useless  to  them ;  likewise  of  their  en- 
deavours to  strengthen  the  ship  by  girding  her  with 
ropes,  and  of  their  throwing  a  considerable  part  of  the 
lading  and  tackling  into  the  sea.    In  this  distressed  situ- 
ation, expecting  every  hour  to  be  either  swallowed  up 
by  the  waves,  or  dashed   to   pieces  against  unknown 
rocks  or  shores,  they  continued  fourteen  days.     When 
they  were  almost  worn  out  with  hardship  and  anxiety, 
and  there  was  no  human  probability  of  deliverance,  the 
Lord  manifested  the  care  he  had  of  his  servants.     The 
seamen  had  not    seen    sun  or  stars  for  many  days ; 
but  his  eye  had  been  upon  Paul   and   his  companions 
every  moment.     No  one  on   board  could  even  con- 
jecture into  w  hat  part  of  the  sea  the  ship  was  driven  ; 
but  the  Lord  knew,  and  his  angels  knew  ;  and  now  one 
was  commanded  to  appear,  to  comfort  the  apostle,  and 
to  give  him  a  word  of  comfort  for  all  on  board.     Upon 
this,  he  addressed  the  people  in  the  ship,  exhorting 
them  to  take  some  food,  and  to  be  of  jjood  courage  ;  for 
that  the  God  to   whom  he  belonged,    and  whom  he 
served,  had  given  him  assurance,  by  an  angel,  not  only 
Vol.  in.  2  B 


186'  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  II. 

of  his  own  safety,  but  that  the  lives  of  all  on  board  should 
be  preserved  for  his  sake ;  that  the  ship  would  be  cast 
upon  a  certain  island;  but  he  fully  relied  on  the  promise, 
that  not  one  of  them  should  be  lost :  he  had  been  told 
that  he  must  stand  before  Caiisar,  which  was  a  sufficient 
earnest  of  his  preservation  ;  for  who,  or  what  can  dis* 
appoint  the  purpose  of  God?  Amidst  all  these  threat- 
ening appearances,  Paul  was,  in  reality,  as  safe  in  the 
storm  as  Caesar  could  be  thought  upon  the  throne. 
And  thus  all  his  servants  are  inviolably  preserved  by 
his  watchful  providence,  so  that  neither  elements  nor 
enemies  can  hurt  them,  till  the  work  he  has  appointed 
them  is  accomplished. 

At  length  the  seamen  perceived  indications  that  they 
xvere  drawing  near  land ;  and  when  they  were  driven 
into  a  convenient  depth  of  water,  they  cast  anchor,  and 
waited  for  the  approach  of  day.  In  this  interval  the 
people  were  encouraged,  by  Paul's  advice  and  example, 
to  eat  a  hearty  meal,  by  which  their  strength  and  spirits 
were  recruited  to  sustain  the  fatigue  they  were  yet  to 
undergo.  In  the  morning  they  saw  an  island,  but 
knew  it  not.  The  mariners,  regarding  their  own  safety 
only,  were  about  to  make  their  escape  in  the  boat ;  but 
Paul  informing  the  soldiers  that  they  could  not  be  sav- 
ed, unless  the  seamen  remained  in  the  ship,  they  paid 
so  much  regard  to  his  judgment  as  innnediately  to  cut 
the  ropes  by  which  the  boat  was  fastened,  and  give- 
her  up  to  the  sea. 

Their  only  remaining  resource  was  to  force  the  ship 
upon  the  shore,  in  a  place  where  landing  would  be 
most  practicable,  and  of  this  the  mariners  were  the 
most  proper  judges.  If  this  island,  (as  is  generally  sup- 
posed,) was  that  which  we  now  call  Malta,  we  know 
that  it  is  almost  environed   with   rocks.     They  having 


Chap,  1.        A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Histotry.  187 

therefore  discovered  an  open  bay,  with  a  beach  of  sand 
or  pebbles*,  endeavoured  to  run  the  ship  there ;  but 
had  the  management  of  this  business  been  left  to  the 
soldiers  and  passengers,  who  were  unexperienced  in  sea 
atfairs,  they  might  probably  have  let  her  drive  at  ran- 
dom against  the  rocks,  where  an  escape  would,  (humanly 
speaking,)  have  been  impossible.  In  this  view  we  may 
observe,  that  the  apostle's  firm  confidence  in  the  pro- 
mise he  had  received  was  connected  with  a  prudent  at- 
tention to  the  means  in  their  power,  from  which  the 
promise  received  was  so  far  from  dispensing  them,  that 
it  was  their  chief  encouragement  to  be  diligent  in  em- 
ploying them.  This  incident  may  be  applied  to  points 
of  more  general  importance,  and,  if  carefully  attended 
to,  might  have  determined  or  prevented  many  unneces- 
sary and  perplexing  disputes  concerning  the  divine  de- 
crees, and  their  influence  on  the  contingencies  of  hu- 
man life.  What  God  has  appointed  shall  surely  come 
to  pass,  but  in  such  a  manner,  that  all  the  means  and 
secondary  causes,  by  which  he  has  determined  to  fulfil 
his  designs,  shall  have  their  proper  place  ami  subser- 
viency. Accordingly  they  made  the  best  of  their  way 
to  the  shore  ;  but,  before  they  quite  reached  it,  the  ship 
was  stopped  by  a  point  or  bankf,  where  her  fore  part 

*  "They  a  discovered  a  certain  creek,  with  ashore."  But  there 
was  a  shore  all  round  the  island.  A»y<aXoj  does  not  express  the  sea 
coast  in  general,  or  a  rocky,  craggy  shore, butthe  skirts  of  an  open 
bay  convenient  for  launching,  landing,  or  drawing  a  net  for  fish. 
See  Matt.  xiii.  2.  48.  John.  xxi.  4.  A  mariner  who  understood 
Greek  would,  perhaps,  render  the  sentence  thus — "  They  observ- 
«  ed  a  certain  bay,  with  a  beach."  And  this  they  chose  as  the 
most  likely  place  to  get  safe  to  land. 

t  ToTTov  J»S«.xS«.o-crov  is  rendered,  in  our  version,  "  a  place  where 
•'  two  seas  met •;"  but  there  is  nothing  answerable  to  the  word  met*: 


188  A  Revicio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  II. 

stuck  fast,  and  remained  immovable,  but  the  stern,  or 
hinder  part,  was  presently  broken  by  the  violence  of 
the  surges.  In  the  general  confusion,  the  soldiers,  un- 
mindful how  much  they  were  indebted  to  Paul,  pro- 
posi  d  that  all  the  prisoners  should  be  killed  without 
dibiinction,  lest  they  should  be  accountable  if  any  of 
them  escaped  ;  but  the  centurion,  who  interested  him- 
self in  his  preservation,  rejected  the  motion,  and  com- 
manded every  one  to  do  what  they  could  for  their  own 
safely.  JVIany  who  could  su  im  cast  themselves  into 
the  sea ;  tiie  rest  availed  themselves  of  planks  and 
broken  pieces  ot  the  ship  ;  and  the  merciful  providence 
of  the  Lord  gave  their  endeavours  success,  so  that  the 
^vhole  company,  consisting  of  two  hundred  and  seventy- 
six  persons,  came  sate  to  land. 

The  inhabitants,  though  called  Barbarians,  received 
and  accommodated  them  with  great  humanity,  and  ma- 
nifested a  tenderness  too  rarely  found  upon  such  oc- 
casions, amongst  those  who  bear  the  name  of  Chris- 
tians ;  they  brought  them  under  cover,  and  kindled 
fires  to  warm  and  dry  them.  The  apostle,  who  cheer- 
fully suited  himself  to  all  circumstances,  assisted  in 
supplying  the  fire  w  ith  fuel ;  but  having  gathered  a  par- 
cel of  sticks,  a  viper,  which  was  unpcrceived  in  the 
midst  of  them,  fastened  itself  upon  his  hand.  He  had 
just  escaped  from  storm  and  shipwreck,  and  was  exposed 
to  as  great  a  dangerof  another  kind.  Such  is  the  nature  of 
our  present  state;  and  it  is  a  proof  of  our  pride  and  igno- 
rance, that  we  are  seldom  greatly  apprehensive  for  our- 
selves, but  when  some  formidable  appearance  is  before 

probably  it  means  Avhat  the  mariners  call  a  spit,  or  point  of 
sand,  running  off  from  the  siiore,  and  which  had  a  sufficient 
depth  of  water  on  either  side. 


Chap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  iTistory.  189 

our  eyes.  A  tempest,  pestilence,  or  earthquake,  alarms 
us,  and  not  without  reason ;  but,  alas  !  we  are  not 
such  mighty  creatures  as  to  have  nothing  to  fear  but 
from  such  powerful  agents.  A  tile,  a  fly,  a  hair,  or  a 
grain  of  sand,  are  sufficient  instruments,  in  the  hand  of 
God,  to  remove  a  king  from  the  throne  to  the  gravCj 
or  to  cut  off  the  conqueror  at  the  head  of  his  victorious 
army.  On  the  other  hand,  those  who  serve  the  Lord, 
and  trust  in  him,  are  equally  safe  under  all  events  : 
neither  storms,  nor  flood,  nor  flames,  nor  the  many 
unthought-of  evils  which  lurk  around  in  the  smoothest 
scenes  of  life,  have  permission  to  hurt  them  till  their 
race  is  finished ;  and  then  it  little  signifies  by  what 
means  they  are  removed  into  their  Master's  joy.  The 
apostle,  in  the  strength  of  divine  faith,  shook  off  the 
venomous  creature  into  the  fire,  and  remained  unmoved 
and  unhurt.  The  islanders,  who  saw  what  had  past, 
judged  at  first,  (from  those  faint  apprehensions  of  a  su- 
perior power  inflicting  punishment  on  the  wicked,  which 
seem  to  remain  in  the  darkest  and  most  ignorant  na- 
tions,) that  he  was  certainly  a  murderer,  who,  though 
he  had  escaped  the  seas,  was  pursued  by  vengeance, 
and  marked  out  for  destruction  ;  but  when,  after  ex- 
pecting for  some  time  to  see  him  drop  down  dead,  they 
found  that  he  had  received  no  harm,  they  retracted 
their  censure,  and  conceived  him  to  be  a  god,  or  some- 
thing more  than  man.  This  event  probably  prepared 
them  to  hear  him  with  attention. 

The  apostle  and  his  friends  were  courteously  enter- 
tained three  days  by  Publius,  the  chief  person  of  the 
island,  who  resided  near  the  place  of  their  landing. 
He  requited  the  kindness  of  his  host,  by  restoring  to 
health  his  father,  who  had  been  some  time  ill  of  a  fever 
and  dysentery.  In  the  same  manner  he  laid  his  hands  on 


190  A  Revieiu  of  Ecclesiastkal  Histoary.        Book  17. 

many  sick  persons,  who  were  healed  in  answer  to 
his  prayers.  These  acceptable  services  procured  him 
much  favour  from  the  inhabitants;  and  when,  after  three 
months  stay,  he  was  about  to  depart,  they  fiu-nished 
him  liberally  with  necessary  provisions  for  his  voyage. 

A.  D.  6l.]  They  sailed  from  thence  in  a  ship  of 
Alexandria,  that  had  wintered  in  the  island,  and  stop- 
ping three  days  at  Syracuse  in  Sicily,  soon  after  arrived 
at  Rhegium,  and  from  thence,  in  two  days,  at  Puteoli, 
near  Naples,  where  they  disembarked,  and  continued 
a  week,  at  the  request  of  the  Christians  of  the  place,. 
From  Puteoli  to  Rome  their  journey  lay  about  one 
hundred  miles  by  land. 

The  disciples  at  Rome  having  heard  of  Paul's  ap- 
proach, several  of  them  met  him  at  a  place  called 
Appii  Forum,  and  another  party  at  the  Three  Taverns; 
the  former  place  being  about  fifty,  and  the  other  thirty 
miles  from  the  city.  At  the  sight  of  these  believers^ 
"whom  he  had  loved  unseen,  we  are  told  he  thanked 
God  and  took  courage.  Even  the  apostle  Paul,  though 
habitually  flaming  with  zeal  and  love,  was  not  always 
in  the  same  frame.  We  learn  from  his  own  account 
of  himself,  that  he  had  sometimes  sharp  exercises  of 
mind  ;  and  perhaps  this  was  such  a  time,  when  his 
thoughts  were  much  engaged  on  what  awaited  him 
upon  his  arrival  at  Rome,  and  his  appearance  before 
the  cruel  and  capricious  Nero.  The  Lord  has  so  con- 
stituted his  body,  the  church,  that  the  difTerent  mem- 
bers are  needful  and  helpful  to  each  other,  and  the 
stronger  are  often  indebted  to  the  weaker.  St,  Paul 
himself  was  revived  and  animated  at  this  juncture  by 
the  sight  of  those  who  were,  in  every  respect,  inferior 
to  him.  It  rejoiced  him  to  see  that  Christ  his  Lord 
was  worshipped  at  Rome  also;  and,  being  in  the  presence 


Chap.  1.         A  Rcvieio  of  Ecelesiastieal  History,  191 

of  those  with  whom  he  could  open  his  mind,  and  freely 
confer  upon  the  glorious  truths  that  filled  his  heart,  he 
forgot  at  once  the  fatigue  he  had  lately  suffered,  and 
the  future  difficulties  he  had  reason  to  expect. 

Upon  their  arrival  at  Rome,  the  centurion  delivered 
up  the  prisoners  to  the  proper  officer ;  but  Paul  bad 
the  favour  allowed  him  to  live  in  a  house  which  he 
hired,  under  the  guard  of  one  soldier.     Here  he  im- 
mediately discovered  his  usual  activity  of  spirit  in  his 
Master's  cause ;  and,   without  losing  time^  sent  on  the 
third  day  for  the  principal  persons  of  the  Jews,  (accord- 
ing to  his  general  custom  of  making  the  first  declara- 
tions of  the  Gospel  to  them,)  and  acquainted  them  with 
the  cause  of  his  prosecution  and  appeal.     He  assured 
them  that  he  had  no  intention,  in  vindicating  himself,  to 
lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  his  own  people ;  adding, 
that,  not  for  any  singularities  of  his  own,  or  for  any 
offence  against  the  law  of  Moses,  but  for  the  hope  of 
Isreal,   he  was  bound  with*  the  chain  he  then  wore. 
They  answered,  that  they  had  received  no  information 
concerning  him  from  Judea,   but  that  they  understood 
the  sect  to  which  he  professed  an  attachment  was  every 
wher-e  spoken  against ;  they  therefore  desired  to  hear 
his  sentiments,  and  appointed  a  day  for  the  purpose, 
when  many  of  them  came  to  him,  and  he  spent  the 
whole  day,  from  morning  till  evening,  in  proving,  con- 
firming, and  explaining,  the  natura  and  necessity  of  the 
Gospel  and  kingdom  of  Christ,  from  the  books  of  Moses 
and  the  prophets.     His  discourse  had  good  effect  upon 

*  Among  the  Romans,  the  prisoner  was  always  chained  t» 
die  soldier  or  soldiers  who  guarded  him.  St.  Paul  speaks  of 
his  chain,  both  to  friends  and  enemies,  with  an  indifference  that 
.shows  how  well  content  he  was  to  wear  it  for  his  Master's  sake. 
See  Ephes.  vi.  20.;  2.  Tim.  i.  16. 


192  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  II. 

some,  but  others  believed  not,  and  they  departed  with 
considerable  disagreement  among  themselves;  the  apos- 
tle taking  leave  of  them  with  that  solemn  warning, 
which  our  Lord  had  often  used  in  the  course  of  his 
ministry,  from  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah*,  denouncing  in- 
curable and  judicial  blindness  and  hardness  of  heart 
upon  those  who  wilfully  rejected  the  proposal  of  the 
truth. 

He  remained  a  prisoner  in  his  own  hired  house  for 
the  space  of  two  years,  having  an  unrestrained  liberty 
to  receive  all  who  came  to  him,  and  to  preach  the  glad 
tidings  of  salvation  by  Christ :  which,  we  learn  from 
his  epistles  I",  he  did  with  so  much  success,  that  his  im- 
prisonment evidently  contributed  to  the  furtherence  of 
the  Gospel,  enlarged  the  number  of  believers,  and  ani- 
mated the  zeal  and  confidence  of  those  who  had  already 
received  faith  and  grace. 

A.  D.  63.]  The  history  of  St.  Luke  ends  here,  which 
I  have  followed  more  closel}'  than  I  at  first  designed ; 
partly  because  the  facts  he  has  recorded  suggest  many 
reflections  which  have,  more  or  less,  a  reference  to  our 
main  design,  and  partly  from  a  reluctance  to  leave  the 
only  sure  and  incontestible  history  by  which  our  re- 
searches into  the  establishment  and  state  of  the  primi- 
tive church  can  be  guided.  For  though  some  monuments 
of  the  earl)(  ages  of  Christianity,  which  are  still  extant, 
have  a  great  share  of  merit,  and  will  afford  us  materi- 
als to  make  good  our  plan,  yet  they  must  be  selected 
with  caution ;  for  it  vvould  be  a  want  of  ingenuousness 
not  to  acknowledge,  that  there  are  great  mixtures  and 
blemishes  to  be  found  in  the  writinKs  of  those  who 
lived  nearest  to  the  apostles'  times.     And  in  the  most 

*  Isa,  vi.  9,  10.  t  Philip,  i.  13. 


Chap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesia^ical  Ui story.  198 

ancient  historical  remains  several  things  have  a  place 
which  show  that  a  spirit  of  credulity  and  superstition 
had  very  early  and  extensive  influence  ;  the  evident 
traces  of  which  have  given  too  fair  an  occasion  to  some 
persons,  of  more  learning  than  candour,  to  attempt  to 
bring  the  whole  of  those  records  into  disrepute.  But 
where  the  characteristic  genius  and  native  tendency  of 
the  Gospel  are  rightly  understood,  and  carefully  at- 
tended to,  a  mind,  not  under  the  power  of  bias  and 
prejudice,  will  be  furnished  with  sufficient  fi?«/«,  whereby 
to  distinguish  what  is  genuine  and  worthy  of  credit, 
from  the  spurious  and  uncertain  additions  which  have 
been  incautiously  received. 

I  shall  be  brief  in  deducing  our  history  from  this 
period  to  the  close  of  the  first  century.  St.  Paul,  after 
more  than  two  years'  confinement  at  Rome,  having  not 
yet  finished  his  appointed  measure  of  service,  was  pro- 
videntially preserved  from  the  designs  of  ail  his  enemies, 
and  set  at  liberty.  We  are  told  by  some,  that  in  pur- 
suance of  the  design  he  had  long  before  expressed,  he 
went  into  Spain,  and  from  thence  to  Gaul,  now  called 
France :  nor  have  endeavours  been  wanting  to  prove 
that  he  preached  the  Gospel  even  in  the  British  isles. 
That  he,  at  some  time,  accomplished  his  desire  of  visit- 
ing Spain,  is  not  improbable  ;  but  we  have  no  certain 
evidence  that  he  did  so.  Much  less  is  there  any  <; round 
for  supposing  that  he  was  either  in  France  or  Britain. 
From  his  own  writings,  however,  we  have  good  reason 
to  believe,  that,  upon  his  dismission  from  Rome,  he 
revisited  the  churches  of  Syria,  and  some  other  parts 
of  Asia  ;  for,  in  his  epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  he  mentions 
his  purpose  of  seeing  them,  in  company  with  his  be- 
loved Timothy ;  and  writing  to  Philemon,  who  lived  at 
Colosse,  he  requests  iiim  to  prepare  him  a  lodging, 

VoT.  IH.  3  C 


194)  A  Ecvieio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book.  II. 

for  that  he  hoped  to  be  with  him  shortly.  And  it  \vas 
probably  in  this  progress  that  he  preached  in  Crete, 
and  committed  the  churches  he  feathered  there  to  the 
care  of  Titus  ;  for  we  have  no  account  in  the  Acts  of 
his  having  visited  that  island  before,  except  the  little 
time  he  touched  there  in  his  passage  to  Rome,  which 
seems  not  to  have  been  sufficient  for  so  great  a  work. 
How  he  was  employed  afterwards  we  know  not,  but  it  is 
generally  agreed,  that,  towards  the  latter  part  of  Nero's 
reign,  he  returned  to  Rome,  and  there  received  the 
crown  of  martyrdom. 

In  the  accounts  preserved  of  the  rest  of  the  apostles, 
we  likewise  meet  with  great  uncertainty  ;  nor  can  any 
thing  be  determined  to  satisfaction,  concerning  either 
the  seat  of  their  labours,  or  the  time  or  manner  of  their 
deaths.  I  shall  therefore  waive  a  particular  detail  of 
what  is  not  supported  by  sufficient  proof.  I  only  ob- 
serve, concerning  St.  Peter,  that  the  assertion  of  his 
having  been  bishop  of  Rome,  on  which,  (and  not  on  the 
true  rock,)  the  whole  system  of  the  papacy  is  built,  is 
not  only  inconsistent  with  what  is  recorded  of  him  in 
the  Acts,  and  the  silence  of  St.  Paul  concernin<T  him, 
in  the  epistles  he  wrote  from  thence — but  is  so  far  with- 
out foundation  in  ecclesiastical  history,  that  it  still  re- 
mains a  point  of  dubious  controversy,  whether  he  ever 
saw  Rome  in  his  life.  If  he  did,  it  was  probably  to- 
wards the  close  of  it ;  and  the  most  received  opinion  is, 
that  he  suffered  martyrdom  there  at  the  same  time  with 
St.  Paul ;  that  Peter  was  crucified,  and  that  Paul  had 
the  favour  of  being  beheaded,  in  consideration  that  he 
was  a  Roman  citizen. 

The  Christians,  though  generally  despised,  and  often 
insulted,  for  their  profession,  had  not  hitherto  been 
subject  to  a  direct  and  capital  persecution  ;  but  Nero, 


Ohap.  1.        A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Histortj,  195 

who,  intoxicated  with  power,  had  in  a  few  years  arrived 
at  a  pitch  of  wickedness  and  cruelty  till  then  unheard 
of,  at  length  directed  his  rage  against  the  servants  of 
Christ. 

A.  D.  64.]  In  his  tenth  year  the  city  of  Rome  was 
set  on  fire,  and  a  very  considerable  part  of  it  consumed. 
This  calamity  was  generally  imputed  to  him  as  the  au- 
thor, and  it  seems  not  without  justice.  Mischief  and 
the  misery  of  others  were  the  study  of  his  life ;  and  he 
is  reported  to  have  expressed  great  pleasure  at  the 
spectacle,  and  to  have  sung  the  burning  of  Troy  while 
Rome  was  in  flames.  Though  he  afterwards  did  many 
popular  things,  and  spared  no  expense  in  relieving  the 
people,  and  rebuilding  the  city,  he  could  not  clear  him- 
self from  the  suspicion  of  the  fact,  any  otherwise  than 
by  charging  it  upon  the  Christians.  The  Heathen  his- 
torian Tacitus,  in  his  account  of  this  event,  enables  us 
so  well  to  judge  of  the  character  which  the  Christians 
bore  in  his  time,  that  I  shall  subjoin  a  translation  of  it 
for  the  information  of  the  unlearned. 

"  But  neither  the  emperor's  donations,  nor  the  atone- 
"  ments  offered  to  the  gods,  could  remove  the  scandal 
"  of  this  report,  but  it  was  still  believed  that  the  city 
"  had  been  burnt  by  his  instigation.  Nero  therefore, 
"  to  put  a  stop  to  the  rumour,  charged  the  fact,  and  in- 
"  flicted  the  severest  punishments  for  it,  upon  the  Chris- 
"  tians,  as  they  were  commonly  called,  a  people  de- 
"  testable  for  their  crimes.  The  author  of  this  sect 
"  was  Christ,  who,  in  the  reign  of  Tiberius,  was  put 
"  to  death  by  Pontius  Pilate.  The  destructive  super- 
"  stition  which  was  by  this  means  suppressed  for  the 
"  present,  soon  broke  out  again,  and  not  only  over- 
"  spread  Judea,  where  it  first  arose,  but  reached  even 
*'  to  Rome,  where  all  abominations,  from  every  quarter, 


196  A  RevteiD  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  II. 

"  are  sure  to  meet  and  to  find  acceptance.  Some  who 
"  confessed  themselves  Christians  were  first  apprehend- 
^^  ed,  and  a  vast  multitude  afterwards  upon  their  impeach- 
"  ment,  who  were  condemned,  not  so  much  for  burning 
"  the  city,  as  for  beini?  the  objects  of  universal  hatred. 
"  Their  sufferings  and  torments  were  heightened  by 
*'  mockery  and  derision.  Some  were  enclosed  in  the 
*'  skins  of  wild  beasts,  that  they  mitjht  be  torn  in  pieces 
"  by  dogs ;  others  were  crucified ;  and  others,  being 
"  covered  with  inflammable  matter,  were  lighted  up  as 
"  torches  at  the  close  of  day.  These  spectacles  were 
''  exhibited  in  Nero's  gardens,  where  he  held  a  kind 
''  of  Circensian  show,  either  mixing  with  the  populace 
"  in  the  habit  of  a  charioteer,  or  himself  contending  in 
^'  the  race.  Hence  it  came  to  pass  that,  criminal  and 
"  undeserving  of  mercy  as  they  were,  yet  they  were 
"  pitied,  as  being  dpstroye d  merely  to  gratify  his  savage 
"  and  cruel  disposition,  and  not  with  any  view  to  the 
*'  public  good." 

From  this  quotation  it  appears,  that  the  Christians 
were  considered  by  the  Heathens  as  a  sect  that  had 
been  almost  crushed  by  the  death  of  their  Master,  but 
suddenly  recovered  strength,  and  spread  far  and  near 
soon  afterwards  :  that  they  were  so  extremely  odious, 
on  account  of  the  supposed  absurdity  and  wickedness 
of  their  principles,  as  to  be  thought  capable  of  com- 
mitting the  worst  crimes,  when  no  sufiicient  proof  could 
be  found  of  their  having  committed  any:  that  they  were 
treated  as  the  professed  enemies  of  mankind,  and  there- 
fore, upon  the  first  occasion  that  offered,  were  pro- 
miscuously destroyed  with  the  most  unrelenting  cruelty: 
that  they  did  not  suffer  as  common  malefactors,  who, 
when  under  the  actual  punishment  of  their  crimes,  are 
usually  beheld  with  some  commiseration,   but  that  in- 


Chap.  1.         A  Revieioof  Ecclesiaslical  Hh'ory.  107 

suit  and  derision  were  added  to  the  most  exquisite  in- 
ventions of  torture:  and  lastly,  that  if  these  violent  pro- 
ceedings were  blamed  by  any,  it  proceeded  rather  from 
the  hatred  they  bore  to  Nero,  than  from  a  suspicion 
that  the  Christians  met  with  any  thing-  more  than  their 
just  desert.  These  things  are  carefully  to  be  observed, 
if  we  would  form  a  right  judgment  of  the  primitive 
church.  It  is  possible  many  persons  suppose,  that  St. 
Paul's  Epistles  to  the  Romans,  Corinthians,  and  Ephe- 
«ians,  were,  (like  the  pastoral  letters  of  bishops  in  our 
own  times,)  addressed  to  the  bulk  of  the  inhabitants  in 
those  places ;  but  the  case  was  far  otherwise.  The 
Romans,  to  whom  St.  Paul  wrote,  were  inconsiderable 
fur  their  number ;  most  of  them  contemptible  in  the 
sight  of  the  world  on  account  of  their  poverty  and  low 
rank  in  life,  and,  (as  the  above  extract  from  Tacitus 
proves,)  the  objects  of  public  detestation,  for  their  at- 
tachment to  the  name  and  doctrines  of  Jesus. 

Whether  this  persecution  was  confined  to  Rome,  or 
carried  on  by  public  authority  through  all  the  provinces 
where  Christians  were  to  be  found,  is  not  absolutcl}^ 
certain,  though  the  latter  seems  most  probable ;  for  it 
is  hardly  to  be  supposed  that  Nero  M^ould  rage  against 
them  in  the  capital,  and  suffer  them  to  live  in  peace 
every  where  else  TertuUian  expressly  asserts,  that 
Nero  enjoined  their  destruction,  by  public  edicts,  in  the 
several  provinces ;  and  his  testimony  seems  worthy  of 
credit,  as  he  mentions  it  in  his  apology,  which,  though 
written  more  than  a  century  afterwards,  was  not  at  so 
great  a  distance  of  time  but  he  might  easily  have  been 
contradicted,  if  he  had  advanced  an  untruth.  Besides, 
the  example  of  Nero,  without  his  express  injunctions, 
seems  to  have  been  sufficient  to  awaken  persecution 
against  a  people  so  generally  hated   as   the  Christians 


198  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  If . 

were.  Multitudes,  upon  this  occasion,  had  the  honour 
to  seal  their  profession  with  their  blood ;  but  the  cause 
for  which  they  suffered  triumphed  over  all  opposition, 
and  the  martyrs'  places  in  the  church  were  supplied  by 
an  accession  of  fresh  converts. 

This  storm,  though  sharp,  was  not  of  very  long  con- 
tinuance ;  it  terminated  with  the  life  of  Nero,  who  was 
compelled,  though  with  extreme  reluctance,  to  destroy 
himself  with  his  own  hands,  that  he  might  escape  the 
most  ignominious  punishment ;  he  having  been,  by  a 
decree  of  the  senate,  justly  and  solemnly  branded  with 
the  character  which  malice  and  ignorance  would  have 
fixed  upon  the  Christian  name,  and  condemned  to  be 
whipped  to  death,  as  an  enemy  of  the  human  race. 

A.  D.  68,  69.]  After  him,  Galba,  Otho,  and  Vitel- 
lius,  were  successively  acknowledged  emperors ;  but 
their  reigns  Mere  short,  and  their  deaths  violent.  The 
Jewish  war,  which  ended  in  the  final  catastrophe  and 
dispersion  of  that  nation,  was,  at  this  time,  carried  on 
under  the  command  of  Vespasian,  who,  while  engaged 
in  that  service,  was  saluted  emperor  by  his  army. 

A.  D.  70.]  Upon  this,  leaving  the  conduct  of  the 
war  to  his  son  Titus,  he  returned  to  Italy ;  and,  soon 
after  the  death  of  Vitellius,  was  peaceably  established 
in  the  government.  Titus  having  a  secret  commission 
from  God,  (whom  he  knew  not,)  to  execute  his  fierce  dis- 
pleasure against  the  Jews,  upon  whom  wrath  was  now 
come  to  the  uttermost,  after  destroying  the  whole  coun- 
try of  Judea  with  fire  and  sword,  laid  siege  to  Jerusa- 
lem ;  and,  having  taken  it,  at  the  end  of  five  months, 
with  an  incredible  slaughter  of  the  Jews  and  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  temple,  he  burnt  the  city,  and  pulled  down 
the  very  walls.  More  than  a  million  of  people,  who 
had  trusted  in  lying  words,  and  boasted  themselves  of 


Chap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  199 

an  empty  profession,  perished  in  this  war  :  and  those 
who  survived  were  reduced  to  slavery,  sold,  and  dis- 
persed into  all  parts,  at  the  will  of  conquerors.  Ihus 
ended  the  Jewish  economy  ;  and  the  law  of  Moses  hav- 
ing received  the  accomplishment  of  all  its  types,  cere- 
monies, and  precepts,  in  the  person,  life,  and  death  of 
Jesus  the  Messiah,  was  irrevocably  abrogated  as  to  its 
observance,  which  was  rendered  utterly  impracticable 
by  the  destruction  of  the  temple  and  the  cessation  of 
the  priesthood. 

A.  D.  79.]  Under  Vespasian,  and  Titus,  who  suc- 
ceeded him,  the  Christian  church  enjoyed  considerable 
peace  and  liberty,  though,  upon  many  occasions,  they 
suffered  from  the  ill-will  of  their  adversaries.  Few, 
however,  were  put  to  death,  publicly  and  professedly 
for  their  religion,  till  Domitian,  who  came  to  the  em- 
pire after  his  brother  Titus,  [a.  d.  81,]  and  who  too 
much  resembled  Nero  in  his  temper  and  conduct,  imi- 
tated him  likewise  in  employing  his  power  against  the 
followers  of  Christ,  [a.  d.  94.]  Several  are  men- 
tioned in  history  who  suffered  in  his  time  ;  but  as  little 
of  moment,  or  that  can  be  fully  depended  on,  is  re- 
corded concerning  them,  I  waive  a  recital  of  bare 
names.  It  is  generally  believed  that  St.  John  was  ba- 
nished to  the  isle  of  Patmos  by  this  emperor,  where  he 
wrote  his  epistles  to  the  churches  of  Asia,  and  the  re- 
velation of  future  events,  which  he  had  received  from 
the  Lord.  Some  there  are  who  place  these  events 
much  earlier,  under  the  reign  of  Claudius,  but  the  for- 
mer opinion  seems  most  probable,  and  best  supported 
by  the  testimony  of  the  ancients  ;  but  the  story  of  his 
havinii  been  cast  into  a  caldron  of  boilin(:j  oil,  in  the 
presence,  as  some  add,  of  the  Roman  senate,  does  net 
seem  su[)ported  by  any  tolerable  evidence.     It  is  be- 


200  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  II, 

lieved  that  he  gained  his  liberty  from  banishment,  and 
returned  to  Ephesas,  or  the  neighbouring  parts  ;  that  he 
afterwards  wrote  his  Gospel  a  little  before  his  death, 
which  is  supposed  to  have  happened  about  the  last  year 
of  the  century.  If  so,  he  was  probably  about  a  hun- 
dred years  of  age,  and  survived  the  rest  of  the  apostles 
a  considerable  space. 

Domitian,  having  made  the  earth  groan  under  his 
cruelties  and  excesses,  was  assassinated  in  the  six- 
teenth year  of  his  reign,  [a.  d.  9G'^i  Nerva  suc- 
ceeded, (a  man  of  much  fairer  character,)  who  repealed 
the  sanguinary  edicts  of  his  predecessor  ;  and  it  does 
not  appear  that  the  Christians  were  generally  perse- 
cuted during  his  short  governmlfct.  Before  his  death, 
(for  he  did  not  live  two  years,)  he  adopted  Trajan  for  his 
successor,  who  came  to  the  empire,  [a.  d.  98, J  with  a 
general  approbation,  and  is  still  reputed  one  of  the  best 
and  wisest  princes  that  Rome  was  favouied  with. 
From  his  conduct,  and  that  of  some  of  the  following 
emperors,  it  appeared,  that  the  Gospel  of  Christ  was 
not  only  hated  by  such  persons  as  Nero  and  Domitian, 
who  seemed  professed  enemies  to  every  thing  that  was 
good  and  praiseworthy,  but  that  men  who  desired  to 
be  thought  the  patrons  of  virtue,  and  to  act  upon  the 
most  benevolent  principles,  had  objections  equally 
strong  against  it ;  for  if  Trajan  did  not  issue  edicts  ex- 
pressly against  the  Christians,  there  M'as  a  very  sharp 
persecution  carried  on  against  them  in  his  reign  ;  and 
when  Pliny,  (in  an  epistle  still  extant,)  represented  to 
him  the  m-eatness  of  their  siifferino-fc,  and  the  muiti- 
tude  and  innocence  of  the  sutlerers,  the  emperor  inter- 
posed no  further,  by  his  answer,  than  to  forbid  informa- 
tions against  them,  upon  suspicion,  to  be  encouraged  ; 
but  directed,  that  such  as  were  proved  to  be  Christians, 


Giiap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  901 

and  refused  to  join  in  the  Heathen  sacrifices,  should 
suffer  death  :  and  when  he  visited  Asia,  Ignatius,  who 
was  bishop  of  Antioch,  being  brought  before  him,  he 
condemned  him,  with  his  own  mouth,  to  be  sent  to 
Rome  to  be  devoured  by  wild  beasts.  But  we  shall 
resume  the  account  of  what  happened  under  his  reign 
hereafter,  his  second  or  third  year  [a.  d.  100]  coincid- 
ing, according  to  the  generally-received  computation, 
with  the  end  of  the  first  century,  which  I  have  fixed  as 
the  limit  of  our  researches  in  the  present  volume. 

But  before  I  conclude  the  chapter,  it  may  be  useful 
to  inquire  what  might  be  the  motives  which  influenced 
the  Heathens  so  eagerly  to  embrace  every  occasion  of 
showing  their  displeasure  against  the  professors  of 
Christianity. 

The  original  and  proper  cause  of  the  injurious  treat- 
ment the  first  Christians  met  with  from  the  Heathens, 
and  particularly  from  the  Roman  government,  which 
usually  tolerated  every  kind  of  religious  worship  that 
did  not  interfere  with  the  public  tranquillity  and  the 
obedience  due  to  the  state,  was  one  that  is  of  an  abid- 
ing and  universal  influence,  namely,  that  enmity  of  the 
carnal  heart  which  cannot  be  brought  to  submit  to  the 
wisdom  and  will  of  God.  This  has  been  the  secret 
source  of  all  the  persecution  which  has  been  the  lot  of 
the  true  disciples  of  Christ  in  every  age.  The  sublime 
doctrines  of  the  Gospel  were  offensive  to  the  pretended 
wisdom  of  men,  and  the  spirituality  of  its  precepts  no 
less  thwarted  their  passions.  Men,  if  only  left  to 
themselves,  cannot  but  oppose  a  system  which,  at  the 
same  time  tiiat  it  reduces  all  their  boasted  distinctions 
of  character  to  a  perfect  level  in  point  of  acceptance 
Tiith  God,  enjoins  a  life  and  conversation  absolutely  in- 
consistent with  the  customs  and  pursuits  which  univer- 

VoL.  III.  2D 


302  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  II. 

sally  prevail,  and  brands  many  of  the  most  allowed  and 
authorized  practices  with  the  hard  names  ot  wickedness 
and  folly.  But  they  are  not  left  to  themselves ;  but 
are,  in  a  degree  they  are  little  aware  of,  under  the  in- 
fluence of  Satan,  who,  for  the  power  he  maintains  and 
exerts  over  them,  is  styled  in  Scripture,  "  the  god  of 
"  this  world."  Since  their  own  evil  dispositions  are 
thus  instigated  by  the  great  enemy  of  God  and  good- 
ness, it  is  entirely  owing  to  the  powerful  restraints  of 
the  providence  of  the  Most  High,  that  his  servants  can, 
at  any  time,  or  in  any  place,  enjoy  an  interval  of  rest; 
and  though  he  has  always  made  good  his  promise  in 
favour  of  his  church,  that  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not 
prevail  against  it ;  though  they  vho  oppose  it  succes- 
sively perish  and  leave  their  schemes  unfinished,  while 
the  interest  against  which  they  rage  triumphs  over  all 
their  attacks,  and  subsists,  revives,  and  flourishes 
amidst  the  changes  which  sweep  away  almost  the  re- 
membrance of  the  most  prosperous  human  establish- 
ments ;  yet  he  is  pleased,  for  wise  reasons,  to  permit 
them  to  try  what  they  can  do.  Hereby  the  faith  and 
patience  of  his  people  are  strengthened  and  displayed, 
his  care  over  them  illustrated,  and  those  who  are  sin- 
cerely devoted  to  him  are  evidently  distinguished  from 
hypocrites  and  pretenders,  who  join  in  an  outward  at- 
tachment to  his  Gospel  in  times  of  prosperity,  but  are 
presently  wearied  and  disgusted  when  storms  and  trou- 
bles arise.        , 

Amongst  the  more  particular  reasons  why  Christi- 
anity was  obnoxious  to  the  Heathens,  not  only  to  persons 
of  vile  character,  as  Nero,  but  to  such  as  Trajan  and 
Marcus  Aurelius,  who  are,  even  to  this  day,  highly  ex- 
tolled for  their  probity  and  discernment,  we  may  men- 
tion these  that  follow  :  and  more  than  one  of  them  mav 


Chap.  I.         A  Reviexp  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  SO®! 

be  easily  accommodated  to  similar  events  which  stand 
upon  the  records  of  history,  down  to  our  times,  and 
tlieir  effects  will  probably  be  felt  by  many  who  are  yet 
unborn. 

1.  The  doctrine  of  the  cross  perhaps  was,  and  always 
will  be,  the  capital  offence.  The  Christians  professed 
to  place  all  their  hopes  on  the  actions  and  sufferings  of 
one  who  died,  to  all  appearance,  like  a  common  ma- 
lefactor. This,  considered  in  one  view,  was  thought 
such  a  kind  and  degree  of  infatuation,  as  provoked  the 
most  sovereign  and  universal  contempt ;  and,  in  ano- 
ther view,  it  raised  a  grave  concern  for  the  interests  of 
morality  and  virtue  in  those  whose  pride  was  flattered 
by  their  own  empty  declamations  on  those  sounding 
topics.  Every  thing  that  was  evil,  they  thought,  might 
be  expected  from  men  who  openly  declared  that  they 
hoped  for  eternal  happiness,  not  for  their  own  works, 
which  in  this  connexion  they  depreciated  and  re- 
nounced, but  on  account  of  the  righteousness  and  me- 
diation of  another.  If  it  was  possible  that  Christians 
could  maintain  that  course  of  conduct  which  the  Gos- 
pel requires,  and  at  the  same  time  conceal  the  princi- 
ples and  motives  on  which  they  act,  they  might,  per- 
haps, come  off  more  easily  with  the  world  ;  for  the  jus- 
tice, temperance,  goodness,  and  truth  which  become 
their  high  calling,  are  suited  to  conciliate  peace  with 
all  men.  But  their  principles  must  not,  cannot,  be 
concealed.  Those  who  know  and  love  Jesus,  and  are 
sensible  of  their  immense  obligations  to  him,  will  glory 
in  him,  and  in  him  only  ;  they  will  avow,  that  it  is  not 
by  their  own  power  or  holiness  that  they  escape  the 
pollutions  of  the  world,  but  that  they  derive  all  their 
strength  from  faith  in  his  blood,  and  from  the  supports 
of  his  grace.     They  dare  not  conceal  this,  nor  do  they 


204  J  Reoieiv  of  Ecclesiastical  HiMory.         Book  II. 

desire  it,  though  they  are  sensible  that  the  world,  whe- 
ther it  bears  the  name  of  Heathen  or  Christian,  will 
hate  and  despise  them  for  it. 

2.  The  Romans,  though  attached  to  their  old  system 
of  idolatry,  were  not  averse  to  the  admission  of  new  di- 
vinities, upon  the  ground  of  what  a  modern  writer  calls, 
a  spirit  of  intercommunity  ;  that  is,  every  one  had  li- 
berty to  adopt  what  worship  he  pleased,  provided  due 
honour  was  given  to  the  ancient  establishments.  The 
votaries  of  the  Egyptian,  Roman,  and  Syrian  deities, 
while  they  paid  some  peculiar  regard  to  their  own  fa- 
vourites, indulged  each  other  in  a  mutual  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  rest ;  but  the  religion  of  Jesus  was  abso- 
lutely incompatible  with  them  all,  would  admit  of  no 
competition,  and  his  followers  could  not  avoid  declar- 
ing, upon  all  occasions,  that  "  they  were  no  gods  that 
"  were  made  with  hands."  On  this  account  they  were 
considered  as  a  most  uncharitable,  proud,  and  narrow- 
hearted  sect ;  as  the  Jews,  for  the  same  reason,  had 
been  before  them.  And  thus  it  will  always  be.  No- 
thing will  more  effectually  secure  a  man  in  the  peaceful 
possession  of  his  own  errors,  than  his  pleadings  for 
the  indifference  of  error  in  general,  and  allowing 
those  who  most  widely  differ  from  him  to  be  all  right 
in  their  own  way ;  and  this  lukewarm  comprehension, 
"which  is  a  principal  part  of  that  pretended  candour  and 
charity  for  which  our  own  times  are  so  remarkable, 
preserves  a  sort  of  intercourse  or  confederacy  amongst 
multitudes,  who  are  hardly  agreed  in  any  one  thing 
but  their  joint  opposition  to  the  spirit  and  design  of 
the  Gospel.  But  they  who  love  the  truth  cannot  but 
declare  against  every  deviation  from  it ;  they  arc 
obliged  to  decline  the  proposed  intercommunity,  and  to 
vindicate  the  commands  and  institutions  of  God  from 


Chap.  1.         A  Revieio  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  205 

tlte  inventions  and  traditions  of  men  :  they  not  only 
build  for  themselves  upon  the  foundation  which  God 
has  laid  in  Zion,  but  they  are  free  to  profess  their 
belief,  that  "  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  ;"  that 
"  tliere  is  no  other  name  given  under  heaven  by  which  a 
*'  sinner  can  be  saved,"  and  that  none  can  havean  interest 
in  this  name  but  by  that  faith  which  purifies  the  heart, 
works  by  love,  and  overcomes  the  world  :  therefore  they 
always  have  been,  and  always  will  be,  hated,  as  uncha- 
ritable and  censorious ;  and  are  sure  to  be  treated  ac- 
cordingly, so  far  as  opportunity  and  circumstances  will 
permit  those  who  think  themselves  aggrieved  to  dis- 
cover their  resentment. 

3.  The  wisest  and  most  respectable  characters  among 
the  Heathen  rulers,  either  for  reasons  of  state,  or  from 
their  own  superstition,  were  generally  the  most  solicit- 
ous to  preserve  the  old  religion  from  innovations.  The 
history  of  mankind  furnishes  us  with  frequent  proofs, 
that  persons,  in  other  respects  of  the  greatest  penetra- 
tion and  genius,  have  often  been  as  blindly  devoted  to 
the  absurdities  of  a  false  religion  as  the  weakest  among 
the  vulgar  ;  or  if  they  had  seen  the  folly  of  many  things 
that  have  the  sanction  of  antiquity  and  custom,  yet  the 
niKxims  of  a  false  policy,  and  that  supposed  connexion 
and  alliance  between  the  established  religion  and  the 
welfare  of  the  state,  which  has  been  instilled  into  them 
from  their  infancy,  induce  them  to  think  it  their  interest, 
if  not  their  duty,  to  keep  up  the  same  exterior,  and  to 
leave  things  as  they  found  them.  Trajan  seems  to  have 
been  influenced  by  these  considerations.  He  was  zeal- 
ous for  the  Heathen  system,  in  which  he  had  been  edu- 
cated, and  regarded  it,  (as  the  Romans  were  accustomed 
to  do,)  as  the  basis,  or  at  least  the  chief  security,  of 
the  government.     Tht  Christians  therefore  were  to  be 


206  A  Revieii' of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  II. 

punished,  not  only  for  their  obstinacy  in  maintaining 
their  own  opinions,  but  as  being  eventually  enemies  to 
the  state  ;  for  though  their  conduct  was  peaceable,  and 
they  paid  a  cheerful  obedience  to  laws  and  governors, 
while  they  did  not  interfere  "with  that  obedience  they 
owed  to  Christ  their  supreme  Lord,  yet  their  doctrines, 
which  struck  at  the  very  root  of  idolatr}',  made  them 
accounted  dangerous  to  society,  and  deserving  to  be 
exterminated  from  it. 

4.  Thesesuspicions  were  strengthened  by  the  greatsuc- 
cess  and  spread  the  Gospel  obtained  in  this  first  century. 
Within  the  compass  of  a  few  years  it  had  extended  to 
almost  every  part  of  the  Roman  empire.  In  this  view 
it  appeared  formidable,  and  called  for  a  speedy  and  vi- 
gorous suppression,  before  i:  should  become  quite  insu- 
perable by  the  accession  of  fresh  strength  and  numbers. 
But  the  event  did  not  answer  their  expectation.  Be- 
lievers grew  and  multiplied,  in  defiance  of  all  the  cru- 
elties exercised  upon  them  :  the  numbers  and  constancy 
of  the  sufferers,  and  the  gentle  spirit  of  meekness,  for- 
giveness, and  lov^e,  which  they  discovered,  often  made 
lasting  impressions  upon  the  people,  sometimes  upon 
their  tormentors  and  judges  ;  and,  by  the  blessing  of 
God  upon  their  doctrine,  thus  poAverfully  recommended 
by  their  conduct,  and  sealed  by  their  blood,  new  con- 
verts were  continually  added  to  the   church. 

5.  When  it  was  thus  determined  to  extirpate,  if  pos- 
sible, these  odious  and  dangerous  people,  pretexts  and 
occasions  were  always  ready  ;  slanderous  reports  con- 
cerning their  tenets  and  assemblies  were  industriously 
promoted  and  willingly  believed.  Some  of  these  took 
their  rise  from  misapprehension  ;  some  were  probably 
invented  by  those  who  apostatized  from  the  church, 
who,  to  justify  themselves,  as  well  as  to  evince  their 


Chap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesidstlcal  History.  207 

sincerity,  pretended  to  make  discoveries  of  horrid  evils 
that  prevailed  amongst  them,  under  the  disguise  of  reli- 
gion. Many,  who  would  not  have  invented  such  stories 
themselves,  were,  however,  well  pleased  to  circulate 
what  they  had  heard,  and  took  it  for  granted  that  every 
thing  was  true  which  confirmed  the  opinion  they  had 
before  entertained  of  this  pestilential  and  despicable 
sect.  But  neither  violence  nor  calumny  could  prevail 
against  the  cause  and  people  of  God  and  his  Christ : 
they  were  supported  by  an  almighty  arm ;  and  though 
many  had  the  honour  to  lay  down  their  lives  in  this 
glorious  cause,  many  more  were  preserved  by  his  pro- 
vidence in  the  most  dangerous  circumstances. 

The  Gospel  of  Christ,  though  contradictory  to  the 
received  opinions,  laws,  customs,  and  pursuits  of  every 
place  where  it  appeared,  though  unsupported  either  by 
arts  or  arms,  though  opposed  by  power  and  policy  on 
every  side,  in  a  space  of  about  sixty- six  years  from  our 
Lord's  ascension,  (according  to  the  promise  he  gave 
his  disciples,)  had  spread  successively  from  Jerusalem, 
through  Judea  and  Samaria,  even  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth.  Christians  were  to  be  found  in  every  province 
where  the  Roman  power  ruled,  and  in  most  of  their 
principal  cities ;  and  though  not  many  noble,  mighty, 
or  wise  were  called,  yet  some  there  were,  and  the 
power  of  the  grace  of  Jesus  was  displayed  in  every  rank 
of  life.  Courtiers,  senators,  and  commanders,  not- 
withstanding the  difficulty  of  their  situation,  were  not 
ashamed  of  his  cross  ;  and  some  of  the  learned  obtained 
that  peace  and  happiness,  by  embracing  his  Gospel, 
which  they  had  sought  to  no  purpose  in  the  vain  intri- 
cacies of  a  false  philosophy.  Nor  was  the  success  of 
the  Gospel  confined  within  the  limits  of  the  Roman  em- 
pire, but  extended  eastward  to  Parthia  and  Babylon, 
where  the  Roman  eagles,  were  not  acknowledged.     We 


A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  11, 

are  not  sure,  however,  that  there  were  many  collected 
societies  of  Christians  in  every  province,  or  that  tliose 
societies  were  in  general  very  numerous.  Those  parts 
of  Asia  and  Greece  which  had  been  the  scene  of  St. 
Paul's  labours,  seem  to  have  had  the  greatest  number 
of  settled  churches  in  proportion  to  their  extent ;  and 
their  largest  assemblies  were  probably  in  their  principal 
cities,  such  as  Antioch,  Alexandria,  and  Rome.  But 
we  have  reason  to  believe,  from  our  Lord's  own  decla- 
rations, that  real  Christians,  in  the  most  flourishing 
times  *  of  the  church,  have  been  very  few,  in  compa- 
rison with  the  many  who  chose  the  broad  and  beaten 
road  which  leads  to  destruction  :  but  these  few  are  un- 
der his  conduct  and  blessing,  as  the  salt  of  the  earth, 
and  are  therefore  scattered  far  and  wide,  according  to 
the  disposal  of  his  wise  providence,  who  appoints  the 
time  of  their  birth  and  the  bounds  of  their  habitation. 

If,  by  the  epithet  primitive,  we  mean  that  period 
during  which  the  professed  churches  of  Christ  pre- 
served their  faith  and  practice  remarkably  pure,  and 
uninfluenced  by  the  spirit  and  maxims  of  the  world,  we 
cannot  extend  it  far  beyond  the  first  century..  We  are 
sure  that  a  mournful  declension  prevailed  very  early, 
and  quickly  spread,  like  a  contagion,  far  and  wide;  and, 
indeed,  the  seeds  of  those  evils,  which  afterwards  pro- 
duced such  a  plentiful  harvest  of  scandals  and  mis- 
chiefs, were  already  sown,  and  began  to  spring  up, 
while  the  apostles  were  yet  living.  And  we  shall  show 
hereafter,  that  the  first  and  purest  age  of  the  church  was 
not  free  from  such  blemishes  as  have  been  observable 
in  all  succeeding  revivals  of  true  religion.  These  things 
are  to  be  guarded  against  with  the  utmost  attention,  but 
they  will  more  or  less  appear  while  human  nature  con- 

♦  Matth.  vii.  13,  14. 


Chap.  1.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Itistory.  3i09 

tinues  in  its  present  state  of  infirmity.  While  the  pro- 
fessors of  Christianity  were  few  in  comparison  of  their 
opponents,  while  they  were  chiefly  poor  and  obscure 
persons,  and  had  sharp  persecutions  to  grapple  with, 
so  long  they  preserved  the  integrity  and  purity  of  their 
profession  in  general,  and  the  disorders  which  appeared 
among  them  were  faithfully  and  successfully  opposed 
and  corrected  ;  afflictions  and  sufferings  kept  them 
firmly  united  in  a  love  to  the  truth  and  to  each  other; 
but  \vhen  they  were  favoured  with  intervals  of  peace, 
and  the  increase  of  numbers  and  riches  seemed  to  give 
ihem  a  more  fixed  establishment  in  the  world,  they  were 
soon  corrupted,  and  that  beautiful  simplicity,  which  is 
the  characteristic  of  genuine  Christianity,  was  obscured 
by  will-worship  and  vain  reasonings.  Amongst  the 
multitudes  who  abandoned  idolatry,  and  embraced  the 
Christian  faith,  there  were  several  who  had  borne  the 
specious  name  of  philosophers.  Some  of  these,  on  the 
one  hand,  laboured  to  retain  as  many  of  their  favourite 
sentiments  as  they  could,  by  any  means,  reconcile  to 
the  views  they  had  formed  of  the  Gospel ;  and,  on  the 
other  hand,  they  endeavoured,  if  possible,  to  accommo- 
date the  Christian  scheme  to  the  taste  and  prejudices  of 
the  times,  in  hopes  thereby  to  make  it  more  generally 
acceptable.  Thus  the  doctrines  of  the  Scripture  were 
adulterated  by  those  within  the  church,  and  misrepre- 
sented to  those  without  Perhaps  the  first  alterations 
of  this  kind  were  not  attempted  with  a  bad  intention,  or 
extended  to  the  most  important  points ;  but  the  prece- 
dent was  dangerous  ;  for  the  progress  of  error,  like  that 
of  sin,  is  from  small  beginnings  to  awful  and  unthought- 
of  consequences.  Gospel-truth,  like  a  bank  opposed 
to  a  torrent,  must  be  preserved  entire,  to  be  useful ;  if 
a  breach  is  once  made,  though  it  may  seem  at  first  to 
Vol.  hi.  2  E 


210  A  Rcvieio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  II. 

be  small,  none  but  He  v\ho  says  to  the  sea,  **  Hitherto 
"  shalt  thou  come,  but  no  further,"  can  set  bounds  to 
the  threatening  inundation  tliat  will  quickly  follow.  In 
elFect,  a  very  considerable  deviation  from  the  plan  of 
the  apostles  had  taken  place  in  the  churches,  before  the 
decease  of  some  wh(5  had  personally  conversed  with 
them. 

We  have  no  ecclesiastical  book  of  this  ai^e  extant 
worthy  of  notice,  except  that  called  the  First  of  the 
Two  Epistles  to  the  Corinthians,  which  are  ascribed  to 
CKment,  bishop  of  Rome,  who  is  supposed  to  be  the 
Clement  mentioned  bv  St.  Paul  in  his  Epistle  to  the 
Romans.  This  epistle  is  not  unsuitable  to  the  character 
ot  the  time  when  it  was  written,  and  contains  many 
useful  things;  yet  it  is  not,  (as  we  have  it,)  free  from 
fault,  and,  at  the  best,  deserves,  no  higher  commenda- 
tion than  as  a  pious  %vcll-meant  performance.  It  stands 
first,  both  in  point  of  time  and  merit,  in  the  list  of  those 
writings  which  bear  the  name  of  the  apostolical  fathers  ; 
for  the  rest  of  them,  if  the  genuine  productions  of  the 
persons  whose  names  they  bear,  were  composed  in  the 
second  century.  For  as  to  the  epistle  ascribed  to  Barna- 
bas, St.  Paul's  companion,  those  who  are  strangers  to 
the  arguments  by  which  many  learned  men  have  de- 
monstrated it  to  be  spurious,  may  be  convinced  only  by 
reading  it,  if  they  are  in  any  measure  acquainted  with 
the  true  spirit  of  the  apostle's  writings.  We  are,  indeed 
assured,  that  both  the  epistles  of  Clement,  this  which 
bears  the  name  of  Barnabas,  several  said  to  have  been 
written  by  Ignatius,  (the  authenticity  of  which  has  like- 
wise been  disputed,)  one  by  Polycarp,  and  the  book 
called  the  Shepherd  of  Hermas,  which  is  filled  with 
visionary  fables,  were  all  in  high  esteem  in  the  first  ages 
of  the  church,  were  read  in  their  public  assemblies,  and 


Chap.  1.  A  Revien;  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  211 

considered  as  little  inferior  to  the  canonical  writings; 
which  may  be  pleaded  as  one  proof  of  what  I  have  ad- 
vanced concerning  that  declension  of  spiritual  taste  and 
discernment  which  soon  prevailed;  for  I  think  I  may 
venture  to  say  there  are  few,  if  any,  of  the  Protestant 
churches  but  have  furnished  authors  whose  writin2;s,  (I 
mean  the  writings  of  some  one  author,)  have  far  sur- 
passed all  the  apostolical  fathers  taken  together,  and 
that  not  only  in  point  of  method  and  accuracy,  but  in 
scriptural  knowledge,  solid  judgment,  and  a  just  appli- 
cation of  evangelical  doctrine  to  the  purposes  of  edifi- 
cation and  obedience. 

But  though  the  first  Christians  were  men  subject  to 
passion  and  infirmities,  like  ourselves,  and  were  far  from 
deserving  or  desiring  that  undistinguishing  admiration 
and  implicit  submission  to  all  their  sentiments,  which 
were  paid  them  by  the  ignorance  and  superstition  of 
after-times  ;  yet  they  were  eminent  for  faith,  love,  self- 
denial,  and  a  just  contempt  of  the  world  ;  multitudes  of 
them  cheerfully  witnessed  to  the  truth  with  their  blood, 
and,  by  their  steadfastness  and  patience  under  trials,  and 
their  harmony  among  themselves,  often  extorted  honour- 
able testimonies  even  from  their  opposers.  Could  they 
have  transmitted  their  spirit,  together  with  their  name, 
to  succeeding  generations,  the  face  of  ecclesiastical 
history  would  have  been  very  different  from  what  it 
now  bears ;  but,  by  degrees,  the  love  of  novelty 
and  the  thirst  of  power,  a  relaxed  attention  to  the 
precepts  of  Christ,  and  an  undue  regard  to  the 
names,  authority,  and  pretensions  of  men,  introduced 
those  confusions,  contentions,  and  enormities,  which 
at  length  issued  in  an  almost  universal  apostasy  from 
that  faith  and  course  of  practice  which  alone  are  worthy 
the  name  of  Christianity.    The  prosecution  of  this  sub- 


212  A  Eeview  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Book  II. 

ject,  more  especially  with  a  view  to  the  history  of  the 
favoured  few  who  were  preserved  from  the  general  con- 
tagion, and  of  the  treatment  they  met  with  wh'o  had 
the  coiirajie  to  censure  or  withstand  the  abuses  of  the 
times  they  lived  in,  will  be  attempted  in  the  following 
volumes  of  this  work,  if  God,  in  whose  hands  our 
times  are,  is  pleased  to  afford  opportunity ;  and  if  the 
specimen  presented  to  the  public,  in  this  volume,  should 
so  far  meet  the  approbation  of  competent  judges,  as  to 
encourage  the  author  to  proceed. 

Some  particulars  which  may  conduce  to  render  the 
state  of  the  church  in  the  first  century  more  evident  to 
the  reader,  as  well  as  to  ^ive  light  into  the  true  state 
of  religion  amongst  ourselves,  and  which  could  not  be 
well  introduced  in  the  course  of  our  narration,  without 
making  too  frequent  and  too  long  digressions,  I  have, 
for  that  reason,  treated  of  separately  in  the  chapters 
that  follow. 


CHAPTER  II. 

An  Essay  on  the  Character  of  St.  Paul,  considered  as  an  Exem- 
plar or  Fattcrn  of  a  Miiusterof  Jesus  Christ. 

X  HE  success  with  which  the  first  promulgation  of  the 
Gospel  was  attended,  is  to  be  ultimately  ascribed  to 
the  blessing  and  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  the 
great  means  which  the  Spirit  of  God  is  pleased  to  ac- 
company with  an  efficacious  power  upon  the  souls  of 
men,  is  the  subject-matter  of  the  Gospel  itself.  He 
concurs  with  no  other  doctrine  but  that  of  the  Scrip- 
ture. The  most  laboured  endeavours  to  produce  a 
moral  change  of  heart  and  conduct  will  always  prove  in- 


Cliap.  2.  A  Ecvicw  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  §13 

effectual,  unless  accommodated  to  the  principles  of  re- 
velation, respecting  the  ruin  of  the  human  nature  by 
sin,  and  the  only  possible  method  of  its  recovery  by 
Jesus  Christ. 

And  as  the  Holy  Spirit  bears  witness  to  no  other 
doctrine,  so  he  ordinarily  restrains  his  blessing  to  those 
ministers  who  have  themselves  experienced  the  power- 
of  the  truths  which  they  deliver  to  othere.  A  man 
may  be  systematically  right,  and  strenuous  in  the  deli- 
very and  defence  of  orthodox  notions  ;  yet  if  he  is  not 
in  some  degree  possessed  of  the  dispositions  and  mo- 
tives which  become  a  minister  of  the  New  Testament, 
he  will  seldom  be  honoured  with  much  success  or  ac- 
ceptance. The  want  of  that  disinterested  and  dependent 
frame  of  mind  which  the  Gospel  inculcates  on  all  wha 
profess  it,  will  render  his  labours  insignificant  for  the 
Holy  Spirit,  on  whose  influence  success  entirely  de- 
pends, will  seldom  co-operate  with  any  but  those  who 
are  sincerely  governed  by  his  precepts. 

A  great  stress  therefore  is  laid  in  the  New  Testament 
upon  the  principles,  tempers,  and  conduct  which  ought 
to  distinguish  the  men  who  have  the  honour  to  be  in- 
trusted with  the  important  charge  of  preaching  the  Gos- 
pel of  Christ.  To  delineate  their  proper  character,  and 
to  form  their  manners  suitable  to  their  high  calling,  is 
the  principal  scope  of  the  epistles  to  Timothy  and  Titus. 
And  when  we  consider  what  we  read  there,  in  connexion 
with  many  passages  to  the  same  purpose,  which  occur 
occasionally  in  the  inspired  writings,  we  may  well  adopt 
the  apostle's  words,  "  Who  is  sufiicient  for  these 
"  things  ?"  A  Christian,  even  in  private  life,  is  ex- 
posed to  innumerable  snares  and  dangers,  from  his 
situation  in  an  evil  world,  the  power  and  subtilty  of  his 
spiritual  enemies,  and  the  influence  of  the  body  of  sia, 


214.'  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  Book  IJ. 

in  himself,  which,  thou2;li  weakened  and  despoiled  of 
dominion,  is  not  yet  destroyed.  A  minister  of  the 
Gospel,  besides  these  trials,  in  common  with  other 
Christians,  has  many  peculiar  to  himself.  His  services 
are  more  difficult,  his  temptations  more  various,  his 
conduct  more  noticed  ;  many  eyes  are  upon  him — some 
enviously  watching  for  his  halting,  and  some  perhaps 
too  readily  proposing  him  as  a  pattern,  and  content  to 
adopt  whatever  has  the  sanction  of  his  example.  If 
encouraged  and  acceptable,  he  is  in  danger  of  being 
greatly  hurt  by  popularity  and  the  favour  of  friends ; 
if  opposed  and  ill  treated,  (and  this  he  must  expect  in 
some  instances  if  he  is  faithful,)  he  is  liable  eitlier  to 
be  surprised  into  anger  and  impatience,  or  to  sink  into 
dejection  and  fear.  It  is  therefore  a  great  encourage- 
ment to  find  from  Scripture,  (and  not  from  Scripture 
only,)  how  the  grace  of  God  has  enabled  others,  in 
equal  circumstances  of  danger  and  temptation,  to  rise 
superior  to  all  impediments,  and  to  maintain  such  a 
course  of  conduct,  that  they  stand  proposed  as  proper 
patterns  for  our  imitation,  and  call  upon  us  to  be  fol- 
lowers of  them,  as  thev  were  of  Christ. 

Amongst  these  the  character  of  St.  Paul  shines  with 
a  superior  lustre  ;  he  stands  distinguished  by  the  emi- 
nence of  his  knowledge,  grace,  labours,  and  success,  as 
a  noble  and  animating  exemplar  of  a  minister  of  Jesus 
Christ.  And  if  it  should  be  thought  a  digression  from 
the  design  of  an  ecclesiastical  history,  to  allot  a  few 
pages  to  the  consideration  of  his  principles,  and  the 
uniform  tenour  of  his  life,  yet  I  hope  the  digression  will 
not  be  unprofitable  in  itself,  nor  judged  unsuitable  to  my 
general  plan  ;  for  I  proposed  not  to  confine  myself  to 
a  dry  detail  of  facts,  but  to  point  out  the  genuine 
tendency  of  the  Gospel    where  it  is   truly   received, 


Chap.  2.         A  Revieiv  of  Ecclesiastical  Histori/.  315 

and  the  spirit  by  which  it  is  opposed,  and  to  show  the 
impossibility  of  reviving  practical  godliness  by  any 
other  means  than  those  which  were  so  signally  success- 
ful in  the  first  age  of  the  church. 

Was  I  to  exhibit  any  recent  character  with  these 
views,  the  exceptions  of  partiality  and  prejudice  would 
not  be  so  easily  obviated.  The  merits  of  such  a  cha- 
racter, however  commendable  upon  the  whole,  would 
be  objected  to,  and  the  incidental  infirmities  and  indis- 
cretions of  the  person,  (for  the  best  are  not  vvfeolly  free 
from  blemish,)  would  be  studiously  collected  and  ex- 
aggerated, as  a  sufficient  contrast  to  all  that  could  be 
said  in  his  praise.  But  modesty  forbids  the  same  open 
disingenuous  treatment  of  one  who  was  an  apostle  of 
Christ.  Besides,  he  lived  and  died  long  ago ;  and  as 
some  learned  men  have  found,  or  pretended  to  find,  a 
way  to  reconcile  his  writings  with  the  prevailing  taste 
of  the  times,  he  is  commended  in  general  terms,  and 
claimed  as  a  patron,  by  all  parties  of  the  religious  world. 
Therefore  I  am  warranted  to  take  it  for  granted,  that 
none  who  profess  the  name  of  Christians  will  be  angry 
■with  me  for  attempting  to  place  his  spirit  and  conduct 
in  as  full  a  light  as  I  can,  or  for  proposing  him  as  a 
proper  criterion,  whereby  to  judge  of  the  merits  and 
pretensions  of  all  who  account  themselves  ministers  of 
Christ. 

IVlany  things  worthy  our  notice  and  imitation  have 
occurred  concerning  this  apostle,  whilst  we  were  tracing 
that  part  of  his  history  which  St.  Luke  has  given  us  in 
the  Acts;  but  I  would  now  attempt  a  more  exact  de- 
lineation of  his  character,  as  it  is  further  exemplified  in 
his  own  epistles,  or  may  be  illustrated  from  a  review  of 
what  has  been  occasionally  mentioned  before. 

We  may  observe  much  of  the  wisdom  of  God  in  dis- 


^16  A  Hevircv  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  II. 

posing  the  circumstances  in  which  his  people  are  placed 
previous  to  their  conversion.  They  only  begin  to  know 
Him  when  he  is  pleased  to  reveal  himself  to  them 
by  his  grace,  but  he  knew  them  long  before.  He  de- 
termines the  hour  of  their  birth,  their  situation  in 
life,  and  their  earliest  connexions ;  he  watches  over 
their  childhood  and  youth,  and  preserves  them  from 
innumerable  evils  and  dangers  into  which  their  follies, 
while  in  a  state  of  ignorance  and  sin,  might  plunge 
them  ;  and  he  permits  their  inclinations  to  take  such  a 
course,  that,  when  he  is  pleased  to  call  them  to  the 
knowledge  of  his  truth,  many  consequences  of  their 
past  conduct,  and  the  reflections  they  make  upon  tliem, 
may  concur  upon  the  whole,  in  a  subserviency  to  fit 
them  for  the  services  into  which  he  designs  to  lead 
them  afterwards.  Thus  he  leads  the  blind  by  a  way 
that  they  knew  not ;  and  often,  for  the  manifestation  of 
his  wisdom,  power,  and  grace,  in  bringing  good  out  of 
evil,  he,  for  a  season,  gives  them  up  so  far  to  the  effects 
of  their  own  depravity,  that,  in  the  judgment  of  men, 
none  seem  more  unlikely  to  be  the  subjects  of  his  grace, 
than  some  of  those  whom  he  has  purposed  not  only  to 
save  from  ruin,  but  to  make  instrumental  to  the  salva- 
tion of  others.  I  doubt  not  but  some  of  my  readers, 
who  are  acquainted  with  their  own  hearts,  will  easily 
apply  this  observation  to  themselves  ;  but  there  are  in- 
stances in  which  the  contrast  is  so  striking  and  strong, 
that  it  will  be  made  for  them  by  those  who  know  them. 
It  is,  however,  peculiarly  exemplified  in  the  case  of  St. 
Paul.  He  was  set  apart  from  the  womb,  (as  he  himself 
tells  us*,)  to  be  a  chosen  instrument  of  preaching  among 
the  Gentiles  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ.     The 

*  Gal.  i.   15. 


Ghap.  2.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  H'istX)ry.  #lf 

frame  of  his  heart  and  the  manner  of  his  life,  the  pro- 
fession he  had  made,  and  the  services  in  which  he  was 
engaged  before  his  conversion,  were  evidently  suited  to 
render  him  an  unsuspected  as  well  as  a  zealous  witness 
to  the  truth  and  power  of  the  Gospel,  after  he  had 
embraced  it.  The  Lord's  purpose  was  to  show  the 
insufficiency  of  all  legal  appointments  and  human  at- 
tainments, the  power  of  his  grace  in  subduing  the 
strongest  prejudices,  and  the  riches  of  his  mercy  in 
pardoning  the  most  violent  attempts  against  his  Gos- 
pel. We  know  not  how  ♦^his  purpose  could  have  been 
more  effectually  answered,  in  a  single  instance,  than 
by  making  choice  of  our  apostle;  who  had  been  pos- 
sessed of  every  advantage  that  can  be  imagined,  ex- 
clusive of  the  Gospel,  and,  in  consequence  of  these  ad- 
vantages, had  made  the  most  pertinacious  efforts  to  sup- 
press it.  He  was  born  a  Jew,  bred  up  under  Gamaliel, 
a  chief  of  the  Pharisees*,  the  sect  which  professed  the 
most  peculiar  attachment  to  the  law  of  Moses.  His 
conduct,  before  he  became  a  Christian,  was  undoubt- 
edly moral,  if  we  understand  morality  in  that  lean  and 
confined  sense  which  it  too  frequently  bears  among 
ourselves,  as  signifying  no  more  than  an  exemption 
from  gross  vices  ;  together  with  a  round  of  outward 
duties  performed  in  a  mercenary,  servile  spirit,  to  sooth 
conscience,  and  purchase  the  favour  of  God.  While 
he  was  thus  busied  in  observing  the  letter  of  the  law, 
he  tells  us,  he  was  aUve — that  is,  he  pleased  himself 
in  his  own  attainments,  doubted  not  of  his  ability  to 
please  God,  and  that  his  state  was  safe  and  good. 
Upon  these  principles,  (which  act  uniformly  upon  all 

*  Phil.  iii. 
Vol.  Ill  2  F 


218  A  Reviciv  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  II. 

who  are  governed  by  them,)  his  heart  was  filled  with 
enrnity  against  the  doctrines  and  people  of  Jesus  ;  and 
his  blinded  conscience  taught  him  that  it  was  his  duty 
to  oppose  them.  He  was  a  Milling  witness  at  the  death 
of  Stephen*  ;  and  from  a  spectator,  soon  became  a  dis- 
tinguished actor  in  the  like  tragedies.  Such  is  the  un- 
avoidable gradation,  in  a  state  of  nature,  from  bad  to 
'ivorse.  The  excess  and  effects  ol  his  rage  are  described 
by  St.  Luke  in  very  lively  colours,  and  he  often  ac- 
knowledges it  in  his  epistles  ;  for  though  the  Lord  for- 
gave him,  he  knew  not  how  to  forgive  himself  for  having 
persecuted  and  wasted  the  church  of  Godf;  he  made 
havock  of  the  disciples,  like  a  lion  or  a  wolf  amongst  a 
flock  of  sheep,  pressing  into  their  houses,  sparing  none, 
not  even  women.  Thus  he  was  filled  with  the  hateful 
spirit  of  persecution,  which  is  undistinguishingand  unre- 
lenting. The  mischiefs  he  could  do  in  Jerusalem  not 
being  sufficient  to  gratify  his  insatiable  cruelty  and  thirst 
of  blood,  he  obtained,  (as  has  been  formerly  observed,) 
a  commission  from  the  high  priest  to  harass  the  dis- 
ciples at  Damascus.  In  this  journey,  \vhen  he  was 
near  "the  city,  he  was  suddenly  struck  to  the  ground  by 
the  voice  and  appearance  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  From 
that  hour  a  memorable  change  took  place  in  his  heart 
and  views  ;  and,  having  been  baptized  by  Ananias,  and 
received  a  free  pardon  of  all  his  wickedness,  \vith  a 
commission  to  the  apostolic  office,  he  began  to  preach 
that  faith  which  before  he  had  so  industriously  laboured 
to  destroy.  In  this  new  light  we  are  now  to  consider 
him  ;  and  whatever  might  be  reasonably  expected  from 
u  sense  of  such  a  display  of  grace  and  mercy,  in  hie 

*  Acts  xxii.  20.  t  Gal.  i.  13  j   1  Cor.  xv.  9, 


€hap.  2.         A  Revlexo  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  2\% 

behalf,  we  shall  find  manifested  in  the  subsequent 
course  of  his  life.  Happy  are  those  who  come  the 
nearest  to  such    an   exemplary   pattern ! 

1.  The  characteristic  excellence  of  St.  Paul,  which 
was  as  the  sprino;  or  source  of  every  other  grace,  was 
the  ardency  of  the  supreme  love  he  bore  to  his  Lord 
and  Saviour.  It  would  not  be  easy  to  find  many  periods 
throughout  his  epistles  which  do  not  evidence  the  ful- 
ness of  his  heart  in  this  respect.  He  seems  delighted 
even  with  the  sound  of  the  name  of  Jesus,  so  that,  re- 
gardless of  the  cold  rules  of  studied  composition,  we 
£nd  him  repeating  it  ten  times  in  the  compass  often 
successive  verses*.  He  was  so  struck  with  the  just 
claim  the  Saviour  had  to  every  heart,  that  he  accounted 
a  want  of  love  to  him  the  highest  pitch  of  ingratitude 
and  wickedness,  and  deserving  the  utmost  severity  of 
wrath  and  ruinf.  When  he  was  conscious  that,  tor 
his  unwearied  application  to  the  service  of  the  Gospel, 
in  defiance  of  the  many  dangers  and  deaths  which 
awaited  him  in  every  place,  he  appeared  to  many  as 
one  beside  himself,  and  transported  beyond  the  bounds 
of  sober  reason ;  he  thought  it  a  sufficient  apology  to  say, 
*'  The  love  of  Christ  constrains  us;j: ;"  we  are  content 
to  be  fools  for  his  sake,  to  be  despised  so  he  may  be 
honoured,  to  be  nothing  in  ourselves  that  te  may  be 
all  in  all.  He  had  such  a  sense  of  the  glorious,  in- 
valuable excellence  of  the  person  of  Christ,  of  his  ador- 
able condescension  in  taking  the  nature  and  curse  of 
sinners  upon  himself,  and  his  complete  suitableness  and 
sufficiency,  as  the  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctification, 
and  redemption  of  his  people,  that  he  often  seems  at 
a  loss  for  words  answerable  to  the  emotions  of  his  heart; 

*  1  Cor.  i.  1—10.  t  1  Cor.  xvi.  22.         \  2  Cor.  v.  14. 


230  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History,        Book  II. 

and  when  he  has  exhausted  the  powers  of  language, 
and  astonished  his  readers  with  his  inimitable  energy, 
he  intimates  a  conviction  of  his  inability  to  do  justice 
to  a  subject,  the  heii»ht,  and  depth,  and  length,  and 
breadth  of  which  are  too  great  for  our  feeble  capacities 
to  grasp.  But,  besides  these  general  views,  he  was  par- 
ticularly affected  with  the  exceeding  abundant  love  and 
grace  of  Christ  to  himself,  when  he  reflected  on  the 
circumstances  in  which  the  Lord  had  found  him,  and 
the  great  things  he  had  done  for  him.  That  he  who 
had  before  been  a  persecutor,  a  blasphemer,  and  in- 
jurious, should  be  forgiven,  accepted  as  a  child  of 
God,  intrusted  with  the  ministry  of  the  Gospel,  and 
appointed  to  everlasting  salvation,  was  indeed  an  in- 
stance of  wonderful  grace.  So  it  appeared  to  himself, 
and  at  the  thought  of  it  he  often  seems  to  forget  his 
present  subject,  and  breaks  forth  into  inimitable  digres- 
sions to  the  praise  of  Him  who  had  loved  him,  and  given 
himself  for  him.  Happily  convinced  of  the  tend- 
ency and  efficacy  of  this  principle  in  himself,  he  pro- 
poses it  to  others,  instead  of  a  thousand  arguments, 
whenever  he  would  inculcate  the  most  unreserved  obe- 
dience to  the  whole  will  of  God,  or  stir  up  believers  to 
a  holy  diligence  in  adorning  the  doctrine  of  their  God 
and  Saviour  in  all  things ;  and  his  exhortations  to  the 
conscientious  discharge  ot  the  various  duties  of  relative 
life,  are  generally  enforced  by  this  grand  motive.  In  a 
word,  at  all  times,  and  in  all  places,  the  habitual  and 
favourite  subject  that  employed  his  thoughts,  his  tongue, 
and  his  pen,  was  the  love  of  Christ. 

Supported  and  animated  by  this  love,  he  exerted 
hitnself  to  the  utmost,  in  promoting  the  knowledge  of 
him  whom  he  loved,  and  bearing  testimony  to  his  power 
and  grace.    Nothing  could  dishearten,  or  weary,  or  ter- 


Chap.  2.         A  Mevicw  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  221 

rify,  or  bribe  him  from  his  duty ;  and  this  must  and 
■will  be  universally,  the  leading  principle  of  a  faithful 
minister.  Should  a  man  possess  the  tongue  of  men  and 
angels,  the  finest  genius,  and  the  most  admired  accom- 
plishments, if  he  is  not  constrained  and  directed  by  the 
love  of  Christ,  he  will  either  do  nothing,  or  nothing  to 
the  purpose ;  he  will  be  unable  to  support  either  the 
frowns  or  the  smiles  of  the  world ;  his  studies  and  en- 
deavours will  certainly  be  influenced  by  low  and  selfish 
views.  Interest  or  a  desire  of  applause  may  stimulate 
him  to  shine  as  a  scholar,  a  critic,  or  a  philosopher ; 
but  till  the  love  of  Christ  rules  in  his  heart,  he  will 
neither  have  inclination  nor  power  to  exert  himself  for 
the  glory  of  God,  or  the  good  of  souls. 

II.  The  inseparable  effect,  and  one  of  the  surest 
evidences  of  love  to  Christ,  is  a  love  to  his  people. 
Of  this  likewise  our  apostle  exhibits  an  instructive  and 
affecting  example.  The  warmth  and  cordiality  of  his 
love  to  those  who  loved  his  Lord  and  Master,  appear 
in  every  page  of  his  writings.  He  so  rejoiced  in  their 
prosperity,  that  to  hear  of  it,  at  any  time,  made  him  in 
a  manner  forget  his  own  sorrows*,  when  encompassed 
with  troubles  on  every  side ;  and  though,  in  many  in- 
stances, he  did  not  meet  that  grateful  return  he  had 
reason  to  expect,  yet  he  could  not  be  discouraged  i 
but  when  he  had   occasion  to  expostulate  with  some 

*  2  Cor.  vii.  7.  13.  See  likewise  Phil.  ii.  28.  which  finely  in- 
timates his  tenderness  and  affection.  He  was  oppressed  with 
sorrow  upon  sorrow,  yet  he  felt  more  for  the  Philippians  than  for 
himself.  He  mourned  over  Epaphroditus,  when  sick,  for  their 
sakes,  and  sent  him  away  for  their  comfort  when  recovered  ;  and 
this  he  did  as  the  most  effectual  means  to  lessen  his  OAvn  burden, 
by  sympathizing  in  that  joy  his  friends  would  have  in  the  inter- 
\'ie\v,  though  he  could  not  directly  partake  with  them. 


222  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  II. 

upon  this  account,  he  adds,   "  I  will  still  gladly  spend 
"  and  be  spent  for  you.  though  the  more  I  love  you  the 
*' less  I  am  loved*."     Ot  such  a  generous  temperas 
this,  the  world,  would  they  observe  it,  must  acknow- 
ledge, (as  the  magicians  in  Egypt,)  "  This  is  the  finger 
"  of  God ;"  for  nothing  but  his  grace  can  produce  a  con- 
duct so  contrary  to  the  natural   inclination  of  man,  as 
to  persevere  and  increase  in  kindness  and  affection  to 
those  who  persevere  in  requiting  it  with  coldness  and 
ingratitude.     His  epistles  to  the  Thessalonians  abound 
in  such  expressions  and  strains  of  tenderness  as  would 
doubtless  be  generally   admired,   (especially  by  those 
who  can  read  them  in  the  original,)  were  they  not  over- 
looked, through  the  unhappy  disregard  which  too  many 
show  to  that  best  of  books  in  w  hich  they  are  contained. 
When  he  is  appealing  to  themselves  concerning  the  sin- 
cerity of  his  conduct,  and  how   far  he  liad  been  from 
abusing  his  authority,  he  says,  *'  We  were  gentle  among 
"  you,  even  as  a  nurse,  (or  mother,)  cherisheth  her  child- 
"  ren," — who,   by  her  tender    and    assiduous    offices, 
supplies  their   inability   to  take  care   of  themselves  f. 
(It  would  be  well   if  all  who  have  aimed   to  derive  a- 
plenitude  of  power  from  the  example  of  the  apostles, 
were  equally  desirous  to  imitate  him  in  the  use  of  it.) 
He  then  adds,  "  So  being  affectionately  desirous  of  you, 
"  we  were  willing  to  have  imparted  unto  you,  not  the 
"  Gospel  of  God  only,  but  also  our  own  souls,  because 
"  ye  were  dear  unto  us."     No  comment  can  do  justice 
t^  the  spirit  of  this  sentiment,   or  to  the  force  of  the 
expression  in  the  Greek.     In  another   passage,   which 
is  rendered  in  our  version,  "  Wc  being  taken  from  you," 

*  2  Cor.  xii.  15.  f   1  Thess.  ii.  7,  8. 


Chap.  2.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  TKstort/.  2^ 

the  original  term*  has  an  emphasis  which  no  single 
word  in  our  language  can  answer.  It  imports  such  a 
state  of  separation  as  is  made  between  a  parent  and  a 
child  b}i  the  death  of  either,  when  the  child  is  left  a 
helpless  and  exposed  orphan,  or  the  parent  is  bereaved 
of  the  staff  and  comfort  of  iiis  age.  It  beautifully  in- 
timates the  endearinsj  affection  which  subsisted  between 
the  apostle  and  the  persons  he  was  writing  to,  and  de- 
monstrates the  greatest  tenderness,  simplicity,  and  con- 
descension. But  his  regard  went  beyond  words,  and 
was  evidenced  by  the  whole  course  of  his  actions.  Nor 
was  it  confined  to  those  who  had  enjoyed  the  benefits 
of  his  personal  ministry  ;  his  heart  was  charged  with 
the  care  and  welfare  of  all  the  churches ;  and  those 
■who  had  not  seen  his  face  in  the  flesh  had  an  unceas- 
ing share  in  his  solicitude  and  prayers^  ;  nay,  so  strong 
was  his  love  to  the  churches,  that  it  balanced  his  habi- 
tual desire  to  be  with  Christ ;  he  could  not  determine 
which  was  most  eligible,  to  suffer  with  the  members 
upon  earth,  (so  that  he  might  be  serviceable  to  them,) 
or  to  reign  with  the  Head  in  heaven  J:.  In  the  passage 
referred  to,  we  see  the  happy  centripetal  and  centri- 
fugal forces  which  carried  him  on  through  the  circle  of 
duty  :  he  constantly  tended  and  gravitated  to  his  centre 
of  rest ;  but  successive  opportunities  of  usefulness  and 
service  drew  him  off,  and  made  him  willing  to  wait  yet 
longer. 

In  this  part  of  his  character  we  are  not  to  consider 
him  exclusively  as  an  apostle.  All  who  have  truly 
known  the  Gospel  to  be  the  power  of  God  unto  salva- 
tion are  partakers  of  the  same  spirit,   according  to  the 

*  Awof(f)«v«o-9£yT£j,   1    Thes.  ii.   17. 
t  Col.  ii.   1.  \  Phil.  i.  23,  24. 


224  A  Revieio  of  Ecclesiastical  History,         Book  II. 

measure  of  their  faith.  That  person  is  unworthy  the 
name  of  a  Christian,  who  does  not  feel  a  concern  and 
affection  for  his  brethren  who  are  in  the  world.  It 
must  be  allowed  that  prejudices  and  misapprehensions 
too  often  prevent  the  Lord's  people  from  knowing  each 
other;  but,  so  far  as  they  believe  a  person  to  be  a  child 
of  God  through  faith,  they  cannot  but  love  him.  This 
is  the  immutable  criterion  which  our  Lord  himself  has 
given,  whereby  his  real  disciples  are  to  be  known  and 
acknowledged*.  He  has  not  directed  us  to  judge  by 
their  discourses,  their  knowledge,  or  even  their  zeal, 
but  by  the  evidence  they  give  of  mutual  love  ;  and  we 
may  as  easily  conceive  of  a  sun  without  light,  or  a 
cause  without  an  effect,  as  of  a  person  duly  affected 
with  a  sense  of  the  glory  of  God  and  the  love  of  Christ, 
and  not  proportionably  filled  with  a  spirit  of  love  to  all 
who  are  like  minded.  But  especially  this  disposition  is 
essential  to  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  apostle 
assures  us  that  all  imaginable  qualifications  are  of  no 
avail  without  it;  though  we  could  possess  the  powers 
of  a  prophet  or  an  angel,  or  the  zeal  of  a  martyr,  if 
we  are  destitute  of  this  love,  we  are,  in  the  sight  of 
God,  but  as  sounding  brass  |,  or  a  tinkling  cymbal. 

III.  St.  Paul's  inflexible  attachment  to  the.  great 
doctrines  of  the  Gospel  is  another  part  of  his  charac- 
ter which  deserves  our  attention.  He  knew  their  worth, 
experienced  their  power  in  his  own  soul,  and  saw  that, 

*  John  xiii.  35. 

t  "  Sounding  brass,"  witliout  meaning  and  without  life. 
Such  arc  the  most  specious  gifts  ajid  performances,  if  unac- 
companied by  a  spii'it  of  love.  They  may  perhaps  be  useful  to 
others,  (as  the  sound  of  a  bell  gives  notice  and  brings  people 
together,)  but  the  possessor  himself  is  a  lifeless  instrument ;  he 
designs  no  good,  and  will  receive  no  reward. 


Chap.  2.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  225 

though  they  were  unacceptable  to  the  wisdom  of  the 
world,  they  bore  the  impress  of  the  manifold  wisdom  of 
God.  He  takes  notice  that,  in  those  early  days,  there 
were  many  who  "  corrupted"  the  word  of  God*.  The 
word  properly  signifies  to  adulterate,  to  imitate  the 
practice  of  dishonest  vintners,  who  mix  and  sophisti- 
cate their  liquors,  so  that,  though  the  colour  is  pre- 
served, and  the  taste  perhaps  nearly  counterfeited,  the 
quality  and  properties  are  quite  altered  and  depraved: 
but  he  says,  "  We  are  not  as  they."  He  preached  the 
Gospel  in  its  purity  and  simplicity,  the  sincere,  genuine 
milk  of  the  word|,  neither  weakened  by  water,  nor  dis- 
guised by  any  artful  sweetening  to  render  it  more  palat- 
-able.  He  added  nothing  of  his  own,  nor  employed  any- 
art  or  gloss  to  palliate  the  truth,  that  it  might  be  more 
acceptable  to  men  of  carnal  minds.  As  he  was  not 
ashamed  of  it,  neither  was  he  afraid  lest  it  should  fall 
without  success  to  the  ground,  if  not  supported  and  as- 
sisted by  inventions  of  his  own.  He  knew  whose  word 
it  was,  and  therefore  cheerfully  ventured  the  issue  with 
him,  who  alone  could  procure  it  a  welcome  reception ; 
and  as  he  disdained  the  thought  of  deviating  a  tittle  him- 
self from  the  plain  and  full  declaration  of  the  truth,  nei- 
ther could  he  bear,  no,  not  for  an  hour,  with  those 
who  presumed  to  do  soj.  I  doubt  not  but  the  warmth 
of  his  zeal,  in  this  respect,  has  disgusted  many  in  the 
present  day,  wherein  a  seeming  candour  and  forbear- 
ance is  pleaded  for  and  extended  to  almost  every  sen- 
timent, except  the  truths  in  which  St.  Paul  gloried. 
There  is  little  doubt  but  many,  if  they  had  the  courage 
and  honesty  to  speak  out,  would  add  St.  Paul  himself 


*  KKTnXswvrE?.     2  Cor.  ii.  17.         j  AS'cXov  •/«?.«.     1  Pet.  n. 
X  Gal.  ii.  5. 

Vol,  hi,  Q  G 


220  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Bistort/.         Book  II. 

to  the  list  of  those  whom  they  despise  as  uncharitable 
and  hot-brained  biijots;  for  who  has  oifended  more  than 
he  against  the  rules  of  that  indifference  to  error  which  is 
at  present  miscalled  charity?  The  Galatians,  in  a  short 
time  after  he  left  them,  had  ventured  to  admit  some 
alteration  in  the  doctrine  they  had  received  from  him : 
it  was  chieflv  in  one  point.  They  had  been  persuaded 
into  an  undue  re^rard  for  the  law  of  JNIoses.  This,  some 
may  tliink,  was  little  more  than  a  circumstantial ;  that 
it  could  not  have  any  great  or  direct  influence  upon 
their  moral  f)ractice,  and  that  they  might  be  very  good 
men  and  good  Christians,  though,  in  this  one  thing, 
they  could  not  see  exactly  with  their  teacher's  eyes. 
But  how  different  was  the  apostle's  judgment !  If  the 
Galatians  had  returned  to  the  practice  of  idolatry,  or 
broke  out  into  the  most  scandalous  immoralities,  he 
could  hardly  have  expressed  his  surprise  and  grief  in 
stronjrer  terms  He  changes  his  usual  manner  of  ad- 
dress,  and  speaks  to  them  as  a  senseless  people*  under 
the  power  of  some  unaccountable  fascination.  He  tells 
them  that,  by  admitting  such  an  addition^,  small  and 
inconsiderable  as  they  might  think  it,  they  had,  in  ef- 
fect, received  another  Gospel ;  which  was,  however,  so 
enervated  and  despoiled  of  efficacy,  that  it  was,  more 
propeily  speaking,  become  no  Gospel  at  all,  utterly 
unworthy  the  least  pretence  to  the  name.  Further,  he 
denounces  an  anathema,  (the  highest  curse,)  upon  any 
person  v\ho  should  dare  to  preach  any  such  pretended 
Gospel,  even  though,  if  such  a  thing  were  possible,  it 
bhould  be  hiaiself,  ur  an  angel  from  heaven;  and  this 
denunciation  he  immediately  repeats,  lest  it  should  be 
thought  lliat  he  spoke  rather  from  warmth  of  temper 

*  Gul.  iii.  1.  t  Gal.  i.  6—9. 


Chap.  2,         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Jlistonj.  227 

than  from  a  just  sense  of  the  importance  of  the  case. 
What  would  some  of  my  readers  think  of  a  man  who 
should,  at  this  time,  express  himself  in  terms  like  these? 
But  let  it  be  remembered  that  our  apostle,  who  was  so 
ready  with  an  anathema  upon  this  occasion,  and  who, 
in  another  place,  passes  the  same  severe  judgment* 
upon  any  man  who  does  not  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
was  far  from  speaking  thus  from  emotions  of  anger  and 
ill-will.  The  disposition  of  his  own  mind,  the  tender 
concern  with  which  he  viewed  the  worst  of  sinners, 
nni}  be  judged  ot  from  his  willingness  to  be  made  an 
anathema  himself! ,  after  the  manner  of  Christ,  it,  by 
all  he  could  suffer,  he  miglit  be  a  means  of  saving  the 
Jews,  who  were  his  worst  enemies,  and  fiom  whom  he 
had  constantly  received  the  most  unjust  and  cruel  treat- 
ment. But  when  the  cause  of  the  Gospel  and  the  ho- 
nour of  Christ  were  in  question,  he  could  not,  he  durst 
not,  consult  with  the  feelings  of  flesh  and  blood  ;  but,  as 
the  minister  and  messenger  of  the  Lord,  he  solemnly 
declared  v\hat  must,  and  will,  be  the  awful  consequence 
of  neglecting  or  corrupting  the  word  of  life. 

Every  faithful  minister  of  the  Ciospel  is  possessed  of 
a  degree  of  the  same  attention  to  the  purity  ot  the  truth 
and  taith  once  delivered  to  the  saints.  They  must 
not  deviate  from  their  instructions,  nor  can  they  behold 
with  indifference  the  specious  attempts  of  others  to 
mislead  the  unwary.  They  know  what  censures  they 
must  expect  upon  this  account :  it  is  sufficient  lor  them 
that  they  can  appeal  to  the  Searcher  of  hearts,  that 
though,  as  the  servants  of  Christ,  they  dare  not  aim  to 
please  men,  by  speaking  smooth  tilings,  yet  they  act 
from  principles  of  benevolence  and  love,  and  would  re- 

*   1  Cor.  xvi.  ^2.  t  Rom.  ix.  3. 


228  A  Review  of  Ecclcdaslical  Ilistory.  Book  II. 

joice  in  the  salvation  of  their  greatest  opposers.  The 
world,  perhaps,  would  judge  mure  favourably  of  them 
if  they  knew  all,  if  they  were  witnesses  to  the  pra^yers 
and  tears  which  they  pour  out  tor  them  in  secret,  and 
the  emotions  of  mind  they  feel  when  they  are  con- 
strained to  declare  the  more  awful  parts  of  their  mes- 
sage ;  but,  as  ministers,  and  in  their  public  work,  they 
cannot  avoid  pointing  out  the  danger  of  those  who  ven- 
ture their  souls  and  eternal  hopes  upon  any  other  doc- 
trine than  that  which  St.  Paul  preached. 

IV.  But  thouijh  St.  Paul  was  so  tenacious  of  the  sreat 
foundation-truths  of  the  (jospel,  and  would  not  admit 
or  connive  at  any  doctrine  that  interfered  with  them,  he 
exercised,  upon  all  occasions,  a  great  tenderness  to 
weak  consciences,  in  matters  that  were  not  essential  to 
the  faith,  and  when  the  scruples  were  owing  rather  to  a 
want  of  clear  light  than  to  obstinacy.  This  was  evi- 
dent in  his  conduct  with  regard  to  the  great  controversy 
that  soon  took  place  between  the  Jewish  and  Gentile 
converts,  about  the  distinction  of  meats  and  drinks,  and 
other  rituals  enjoyed  by  the  law  of  JMoses ;  the  obli- 
gation* of  which,  many,  who  had  been  educated  in  the 
practice  of  those  observances,  did  not  immediately  see 
were  superseded  by  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  He  knew 
and  asserted  his  own  liberty;  yet,  in  condescension  to 
the  weakness  of  others,  he  often  abridged  himself  of  it, 
and  declared  that,  rather  than  grieve  or  cause  oflence 
to  a  M  eak  brother,  he  would  eat  no  meat  while  the 
ivorld  stood.  His  practice  herein  will  probably  be  of 
general  application,  mutatis  mutandis,  so  long  as  the 
present  state  of  human  infirmity  subsists.  A  defect  in 
knowledge,  the  prejudices  of  education  and   custom, 

*  Rom.  xiv.  • 


Chap.  2.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  229 

the  remains  of  a  le,o;al  spirit,  the  influence  of  great 
names,  and  other  causes  of  a  like  nature,  will  proba- 
bly always  operate,  so  far  as  to  keep  up  lesser  differ- 
ences in  judgment  and  practice  amongst  those  who 
agree  in  the  great  and  fundamental  truths.  The  enemy 
gains  too  much  advantage  from  these  things  not  to  im- 
prove such  differences  into  divisions.  Self  is  too  pre- 
valent in  the  best  men,  and  the  tendency  of  self  is,  to 
exact  submission,  to  hurry  to  extremes,  to  exaggerate 
trifles  into  points  of  great  consequence,  and  to  render 
us  averse  to  the  healing  expedients  of  peace.  From 
these  sources,  discords  and  evils  innumerable  have  been 
multiplied  and  perpetuated  among  the  various  denomi- 
nations under  which  the  Lord's  people  have  been 
ranged,  which  have  greatly  hindered  the  welfare  and 
progress  of  the  common  cause,  and  exposed  each  con- 
tending party  to  the  scorn  of  their  real  enemies.  But 
were  the  spirit  and  conduct  of  our  apostle  more  adopt- 
ed, many  debates  would  entirely  cease ;  and  in  those 
things  where  a  difference  of  judgment  would  still  sub- 
sist, the  exercise  of  patience,  gentleness,  and  mutual 
forbearance,  would,  perhaps,  atTord  fairer  occasion  for 
the  display  of  the  Christian  character,  than  if  we  were 
all  exactly  of  a  mind.  Then  the  strong  would  bear  the 
infirmities  of  the  weak,  the  one  would  not  censure  nor 
the  other  despise  ;  nor  would  those  whose  minds  have 
been  enlarged  byavarietyof  experience  and  observation, 
think  it  at  all  strange,  much  less  would  they  be  angry, 
if  others,  who  have  not  had  the  same  advantages,  can-" 
not  immediately  enter  into  all  their  sentiments.  St. 
Paul,  in  knowledge,  abilities,  and  usefulness,  was  emi- 
nently superior  to  all  those  among  whom  he  chiefly  con- 
versed ;  and,  as  an  apostle,  he  had  a  stronger  right  than 
any  man  since  the  apostles'  day  could  have,  to  exact 


230  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  7Tlstor>/.        Book  II. 

an  implicit  deference  and  submission  ;  but  he  liad 
drunk  deeply  of  the  spirit  of  his  Master,  and  ue 
are  concerned  to  follow  him,  as  he  followed  Christ, 
in  the  exercise  of  tenderness  to  the  weakest  of  the 
flock. 

It  is  not  my  present  business  to  define  what  are  pro- 
perly essentials  in  the  Christian  reli<;ion,  and  to  sepa- 
rate them  clearly  from  the  less  important  points,  which, 
for  that  reason,  and  in  contradistinction  to  the  other, 
are  called  circumstantials.  This  would  lead  me  too 
far;  though,  perhaps,  it  would  not  be  so  difficult  as  a 
person  might  at  first  expect,  who  should  be  told  of  all 
that  has  been  written,  with  little  satisfaction,  upon  the 
subject.  I  foresee  a  future  period  in  our  history,  when 
a  disquisition  of  this  kind  uill  be  almost  necessary ;  and, 
if  I  am  spared  to  reach  so  far,  I  shall  probably  em- 
brace the  occasion.  In  the  mean  time,  I  would  just 
hint  an  observation  or  two  on  this  head,  which  the  m- 
telligent  reader,  if  he  thinks  them  just,  may  apply  as 
he  sees  proper. 

J.  Circumstantials  and  essentials  in  religion,  (if  we 
speak  nith  propriety,)  are  derived  from  the  same  source, 
and  resolved  into  the  same  authority  To  consider  the 
commands  of  God  as  essentials,  and  the  inventions  and 
traditions  of  men  superadded  thereto  as  circumstan- 
tials, would  be  a  very  improper,  and,  indeed,  a  very 
false  division  of  the  subject.  Nothing  but  what  is  pre- 
scribed by  the  word  of  God,  or  may  be  fairly  deduced 
from  it,  is  worthy  the  name  even  of  a  circumstantial  in 
true  religion.  Human  appointments,  it  not  repugnant 
to  Scripture  and  the  light  of  conscience,  may  be  sub- 
mitted to  for  the  sake  of  peace,  or  when  the  geneial 
purposes  of  edification  cannot  he  attained  without  them; 
but  they  seem  not  to  deserve  a  place  even  among  the 


Chap.  3.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Histori^.^  2Zi 

circumstantials  of  a  religion  which  is  of  divine  institu- 
tion. All  the  laboured  arguments,  whether  for  or 
against  the  colour  of  a  garment,  the  shape  of  a  build- 
ing, and  a  multitude  of  other  things  equally  insignifi- 
cant, seem  to  have  occasioned  a  needless  loss  of  time 
and  temper,  chiefly  by  a  mistake  of  the  question  on 
both  sides 

2.  Essentials  in  Christianity  are  those  things  without 
which  no  man  can  be  a  Christian  in  the  sight  of  God, 
and  by  the  decision  of  his  word  ;  and,  on  the  other 
hand,  those  things  only  are  essential,  which  whoever 
possesses,  is,  by  Scripture  declaration,  in  a  state  of 
favour  with  God  through  Christ.  These  might  be 
branched  out  into  many  particulars  ;  but  they  are  fully 
and  surely  comprised  in  two — faith  and  holiness.  These 
are  essential  to  the  being  of  a  Christian  ;  are  only  to  be 
found  in  a  Christian;  are  infallible  tokens  that  the  pos- 
sessor is  accepted  in  the  Beloved,  and  whoever  dies 
without  them  must  assuredly  perish.  These  are  essen- 
tials, because  they  are  absolutely  necessary ;  for  it  is 
written,  "  He  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned*,"  and, 
"  Without  holiness  no  man  shall  see  the  Lordf  :"  and 
they  are  essential  likewise,  because  they  demonstrate 
an  interest  in  the  promise  of  everlasting  life.  Thus  our 
Lord  declares,  "  He  that  heareth  my  words,  and  be- 
"  lieveth  in  him  that  sent  me,  hath  everlasting  life,  and 
"  shall  not  come  into  condemnation,  but  is  passed  from 
"  death  unto  life  J  :"  and  the  apostle,  writing  to  the  be- 
lieving Romans,  tells  them,  "  Now  being  made  free 
*'  from  sin,  and  become  the  servants  of  God,  ye  have 
"  your  fruit  unto  holiness,  and  the  end  everlasting  life§." 

*  Mark  xvi.  16.  t  Heb.  xii.  14.  J  John  v.  34. 

§  Rora.  vi.  32. 


2S2  A  Review  uf  Ecclesiastical  Histort/.        Book  II. 

These,  then,  are  the  essentials  of  religion  ;  and  though 
they  are  produced  by  the  same  power  of  the  Holy  Spi- 
rit, and  derived  frouj  a  knowledge  of  the  same  truths, 
and  therefore  cannot  be  separated,  they  may  properly 
be  distinguished,  for  the  conviction  of  those  who  pre- 
tend to  one  without  the  other.  The  most  specious  ap- 
pearances of  holiness,  which  are  not  accompanied  with 
failh  in  Christ,  may  be  safely  rejected  as  counterfeits. 
On  the  other  hand,  a  profession  of  faith  which  is  not 
evidenced  by  the  fruits  of  holiness,  by  gracious  tempers, 
and  a  tenour  of  life  becoming  the  Gospel,  is  dead,  delu- 
sory, and  destructive. 

If  the  question  is  removed  another  step,  and  it  should 
be  asked,  which,  or  how  many,  of  the  doctrines  of 
Scripture  are  necessary  to  produce  the  faith  and  holi- 
ness supposed  requisite  ?  it  may  suffice  to  say,  that,  in 
the  nature  of  things,  no  person  can  be  expected  to  be- 
lieve in  Christ,  till  convinced  of  his  need  of  him,  and 
of  his  ability,  as  a  Saviour,  fully  to  answer  his  expecta- 
tions. And  as  a  supreme  love  to  God,  and  a  hatred  of 
all  sin^  are  evidently  included  in  the  idea  of  holiness,  it 
supposes  a  disposition  of  mind  which  every  man's  ex- 
perience proves  to  be  beyond  the  power  of  fallen  na- 
ture ;  and  therefore  a  competent  knowledge  and  cordial 
acceptance  of  what  the  Scripture  teaches,  concerning 
the  nature  and  desert  of  sin,  the  person  and  mediatory 
acts  of  Christ,  the  causes,  ends,  and  etfects  of  his  me- 
diation, together  with  the  necessity  ot  that  change  of 
heart  which  is  expressed  by  a  being  born  again,  appear 
to  be  essentially  necessary  to  that  faith  and  holiness 
which  are  described  in  the  Gospel. 

3.  The  circumstantials  of  religion  include  all  those 
particulars  of  revelation  which  a  person,  possessed  of 
the  above-mentioned  essentials,  may  as  yet  be  unac- 


Chap.  2.        A  Reviecu  of  Eicleeiaslicai  History.  23jl 

quainted  with,  or  unable  to  judge  of  with  certainty.  A 
careful  application  to  the  Scripture,  a  diligent  waiting 
upon  God  in  prayer,  and  an  improvement  of  the  means 
of  grace,  will,  by  the  divine  blessing,  which  is  promised 
to  those  who  seek  in  this  manner,  increase  our  light, 
comprehension,  and  certainty,  with  regard  to  these 
points,  which,  though  not  essentially  necessary  to  the 
being  of  a  Christian,  are  exceedingly  conducive  to 
his  well-being,  to  his  growth  and  establishment  in  the 
truth. 

This  subject  may  be,  perhaps,  illustrated  from  the 
animal  frame,  in  which  what  we  call  the  vital  parts 
may  be  considered  as  essential  to  life,  because  there 
can  be  no  life  without  them.  We  may  easily  conceive 
that  a  man  may  live  without  an  arm  or  leg,  or  several 
members  and  organs,  which,  though  highly  valuable 
for  use  and  comfort,  are  not  necessarily  connected  with 
life ;  but  if  we  conceive  of  him  as  deprived  of  his  head, 
heart,  or  lungs,  we  can  no  longer  consider  him  as  liv- 
ing ;  yet  it  is  desirable  to  have  a  body  not  only  ani- 
mated, but  organized.  So  likewise  in  religion,  those 
who  are  truly  partakers  of  it  will  not  too  curiously  in- 
quire, how  much  knowledge,  or  what  degree  of  prac- 
tice, is  barely  consistent  with  a  possibility  of  life  ;  but 
they  will  earnestly  desire  to  be  acquainted  with  the 
whole  will  of  God,  and  that  every  part  of  it  may  have 
a  suitable  influence  upon  their  practice.  But,  in  the 
mean  time,  a  consolation  is  provided,  in  the  promises 
of  God  made  to  those  who  have  received  the  seeds  of 
faith  and  true  holiness,  against  the  fears,  doubts,  and 
involuntary  mistakes  which,  from  remaining  ignorance, 
they  are  yet  subject  to.  He  will  supply  what  is  wanting, 
pardon  what  is  amiss,  and  lead  them  on  from  strength 
to  strength.     They  are  to  walk  by  the  light  already  af- 

A'oi,.  lU.  2  H 


234  A  lievieiv  of  Ecclesiastical  History .         Book  \\, 

forded,  to  wait  on  him  for  an  increase,  to  be  diffident 
of  themselves  and  gentle  to  others  ;  and  things  which 
as  yet  they  know  not,  God  will,  in  his  due  time,  reveal 
to  them.      But  to  return  from  this  digression. 

V.  Every  part  of  St.  Paul's  history  and  writings  de- 
monstrates a  disinterested  spirit,  and  that  his  uncom- 
mon labours  were  directed  to  no  other  ends  than  the 
glory  of  God  and  the  good  of  men.  No  man  had,  pro- 
bably, so  great  an  influence  over  his  hearers,  or  could 
have  a  juster  claim,  from  the  nature  and  number  of  his 
services,  to  a  suitable  provision  for  himself;  but  he 
could  say,  with  truth,  "  We  seek  not  yours,  but  you," 
To  cut  off  all  occasions  of  misapprehension  on  this 
head,  he  usually  submitted  to  work  with  his  own  hands 
rather  than  be  chargeable  to  his  friends*'.  It  is  true,  he 
does  not  propose  himself  to  us  as  a  pattern  in  this  respect, 
for  he  tells  us  "  that  the  labourer  is  vvorthy  of  his  hire," 
and  that  "  the  Lord  had  ordained  that  those  who  preach 
"  the  Gospel  should  live  by  the  Gospel  f  :"  and  when  he 
saw  it  expedient,  he  did  not  refuse  to  be  himself  as- 
sisted by  others.  He  showed,  by  accepting  such  as-' 
sistance  from  some,  that  he  understood  his  liberty,  and 
did  not  act  from  a  spirit  of  pride  or  singularity  when  he 
declined  it;    and,  by  his  more  general   practice,  he 

*  1  Cor.  ix.  18.  That — "  I  may  make  the  Gospel  of  Christ 
"  without  charge" — A^awavov  Sucrw,  that  I  may  set  it  before  you^ra- 
tisy  or  a  free  Gospel.  The  messengers  of  good  news  are  usually 
gratified  with  a  reward ;  but  the  apostle,  though  he  brought  the 
most  welcome  and  important  tidings  that  ever  rejoiced  the  hearts 
of  men,  would  not  encumber  or  disgrace  the  news,  by  receiving 
any  thing  for  it.  The  truth  is,  he  took  as  much  pleasure  in  de- 
livering his  message  as  they  could  in  hearing  it,  and  found  his 
Toward  in  his  employment. 

t  1  Cor.  ix.   14. 


Chap.  2.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  23  j 

evidenced  that  he  was  superior  to  all  selfish  and  merce- 
nary nnotives ;  and  upon  the  whole,  he  was  content  to 
appear  and  live  as  a  poor  man.  And  though  he  had 
learnt  in  the  school  of  Christ,  how  to  abound,  as  well 
as  to  suffer  want,  the  latter  seems  to  have  been  more 
frequently  his  lot*.  He  saw  too  many  false  teachers, 
who,  under  the  sanction  of  a  sacred  character,  made 
merchandize  of  souls,  and  he  not  only  severely  cen- 
sured them,  but  by  this  self-denial,  which  they  were 
unable  to  imitate,  he  manifested  the  vanity  of  their 
pretences  in  setting  themselves  forth  as  the  apostles  of 
Christ.  This  seems  to  have  been  his  chief  design  in  it, 
and  the  reason  of  his  repeating,  with  so  much  earnest- 
ness, his  determination  to  take  nothing  from  the  Corin- 
thians, who  were  too  much  inclined  to  listen  to  some 
of  these  teachers,  to -his  disadvantage.  But  whatever 
parade  they  might  make  of  gifts  or  zeal,  or  howevei; 
they  might  presume  to  equal  themselves  to  him  in  other 
respects ;  he  knew  they  would  not  attempt  to  share  with 
him  in  the  glory  of  preaching  the  Gospel  freely,  which 
was  diametrically  inconsistent  with  their  whole  design. 
The  circumstances  with  us  are  so  far  different,  that,  in 
proposing  St.  Paul  as  a  pattern  of  disinterestedness,  we 
do  not  lay  a  stress  upon  his  preaching  the  Gospel  with- 
out expense  to  his  hearers  ;  yet,  in  his  noble  contempt 
of  worldly  advantage,  and  making  every  thing  stoop  to 
the  great  ends  of  his  mission,  he  stands  as  a  precedent 
to  all  Christian  ministers  in  succeeding  times.  In  those 
passages  of  his  epistles  to  Timothy  and  Titus,  where 
the  negative  part  of  a  minister's  character,  (whether 
bishop  or  deacon,)  is  given,  this  is  constantly  one  branch 
of  it,  that  he  must  not  be  influenced  by  a  love  of  gain; 

*  Phil.  Iv.  ]'^.. 


:2"3iB  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Jilsiori/.         Book  IT> 

and  as  constantly  the  word  is  compounded  with  the  epi- 
thets/My— "  not  given  to  filthy  lucre;"  to  intimate  that 
nothing  can  be  more  dishonest  or  dishonourable  than  to 
make  a  traffic  of  this  service.  Nor  is  this  the  judg- 
ment of  Scripture  only,  but  the  general  voice  of  man- 
kind. Nothing  is  a  greater  bar  to  a  minister's  useful-, 
ness,  or  renders  his  person  and  labours  more  con- 
temptible, than  a  known  attachment  to  money,  a  grip- 
ing fist,  and  a  hard  heart.  They  who  enter  into  the 
priest's  office  for  a  piece  of  bread,  who  are  less  con- 
cerned for  the  flock  than  the  fleece,  who  employ  all 
their  arts  and  influence  to  exchange  a  less  emolument 
for  a  greater,  or  to  superadd  one  to  another,  may  have 
the  reward  they  seek ;  but  of  all  the  methods  of  acquir- 
ing wealth,  which  do  not  directly  expose  a  man  to  the 
lash  of  human  laws,  this  is  the  most  to  be  lamented  and 
avoided.  If  the  Scriptures  are  true;  if  St.  Paul  was  a 
servant  of  Christ ;  and  if  the  authority  of  his  precepts 
and  example  is  still  binding,  a  day  will  come  when 
mercenary  preachers  will  wish  they  had  begged  their 
bread  from  door  to  door,  or  been  chained  to  the  oar  of 
a  galley  for  life,  rather  than  have  presumed  to  intrude 
into  the  church  upon  such  base  and  unworthy  views.  It 
is  to  be  feared  that  too  many  read  the  awful  denuncia- 
tions upon  this  head,  in  the  prophets  Jeremiah*  and 
Ezckielf,  with  indiflerence,  as  supposing  they  only  re- 
late to  the  Jews  who  lived  at  that  time ;  but  they  are 
equally  applicable  to  all  who  prostitute  the  word  and 
worship  of  God  to  the  purposes  of  ambition  and 
avarice. 

VI.  From  the  foregoing  particulars  we  may  collect 
the  idea  of  true  Christian  zeal,  as  exemplified  in  our 

*  Jer.  xxiii.  *  Kzek,  xii».  and  xxxiv. 


Chap.  2.         A  RevU'ii!  of  Ecclesiastical  Hi&tox^.  237 

apostle.  Hardly  any  word  in  our  language  is  more 
misunderstood  or  abused,  than  zeat^\  It  is  used  in 
the  New  Testament  indifferently  in  a  good  or  bad 
sense,  and  it  is  considered  as  a  vice  or  virtue,  accord- 
ing to  its  object  and  principle.  It  sometimes  denotes 
envyf,  indignation,  or  disdain,  an  obstinate  and  igno- 
rant opposition  to  the  truth,  a  misguided  warmth  in  un- 
necessary things,  and  a  contentious,  disputatious  tem- 
per. A  zeal  replete  with  these  characters  has  too  fre- 
quently been  the  bane  and  opprobrium  of  the  Christian 
churdi ;  but  it  is  good  to  be  zealously  affected  in  a  good 
thing,  and  then  it  is  sinful  to  be  otherwise.  Our  pas- 
sions were  not  given  us  in  vain.  When  the  judgment 
is  well  informed,  and  the  understanding  duly  enlight-- 
ened  by  the  word  of  God,  the  more  warmth  the  better ; 
but  this  earnestness,  in  an  ignorant  or  prejudiced  per- 
son, is  dangerous  and  hurtful  to  himself  and  others  :  it 
is  like  haste  in  a  man  in  the  dark,  who  knows  not  where 
he  is  going,  nor  what  mischiefs  he  may  suffer  or  occa- 
sion. False  zeal  spends  its  strengta  in  defence  of 
names  and  forms,  the  externals  of  religion,  or  the  invea- 

*  All  religious  parties  profess  a  great  regard  to  the  precept, 
Jude  iii.  "Contend  earnestly  for  the  faith."  Andif  noisy  anger, 
bold  assertions,  harsh  censures,  and  bitter  p>ersecuting  zeal,  can 
singly  or  jointly  answer  the  apostle's  design,  there  is  hardly  a 
party  but  may  glory  in  their  obedience.  But  if  the  weapons  of 
our  warfare  are  not  carnal ;  if  the  wrath  of  man  worketh  not  the 
righteousness  of  God  ;  if  the  true  Christian  contention  can  only 
be  maintained  by  Scripture  arguments,  meekness,  patience, 
prayer,  and  an  exemplary  conversation — if  this  is  the  true  state  of 
the  case,  where  is  the  church  or  party,  (may  I  not  say,  where  is 
the  person,)  that  has  not  still  much  to  learn  and  to  practise  m 
this  point  ? 

t  Compare  Acts  v.  17.;  Rom.  xiii.  13.;  Rom.  x.  2.;  Phil, 
iii.  6.;  Gal.  i.  14. ;  Acts  xxi.  20.  ;  James  iii.  16.;  in  all  which 
places  the  word  is  the  same  that  is  rendered  zeal  in  2  Cor.  ix. 
2.;  Col.  iv.  13.;  John  ii.  17. 


.^38  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  liisiori/.         Book  IJ . 

tions  of  men  :  it  enforces  its  edicts  by  compulsion  and 
severity;  it  would  willingly  call  for  fire  from  heaven; 
but,  unable  to  do  this,  it  kindles  the  flame  of  persecu- 
tion, and,  if  not  providentially  restrained,  wages  war 
with  the  peace,  comfort,  and  liberty  of  all  who  disdain 
to  wear  its  chains,  and  breathes  threatening,  slaughter, 
and  destruction  with  an  unrelenting  spirit :  its  mildest 
weapons,  (which  it  never  employs  alone,  except  where 
it  is  checked  by  a  superior  power,)  are  calumny,  con- 
tempt, and  hatred ;  and  the  objects  it  seeks  to  worry 
are  generally  the  quiet  in  the  land,  and  those  who  wor- 
ship God  in  spirit  and  in  truth  :  in  a  word,  it  resembles 
the  craft  by  which  it  works,  and  is  earthly,  sensual, 
devilish.  But  the  true  Christian  zeal  is  a  heavenly 
gentle  flame :  it  shines  and  warms,  but  knows  not  to 
destroy  :  it  is  the  spirit  of  Christ,  infused  with  a  sense 
of  his  love  into  the  heart :  it  is  a  generous  philanthropy 
and  benevolence,  which,  like  the  light  of  the  sun,  dif- 
fuses itself  to  every  object,  and  longs  to  be  the  instru- 
ment of  good,  if  possible,  to  the  whole  race  of  man- 
kind. A  sense  of  the  worth  of  souls,  the  importance  of 
unseen  things,  and  the  awful  condition  of  unawakened 
sinners,  makes  it,  indeed,  earnest  and  importunate; 
but  this  it  shows  not  by  bitterness  and  constraint,  but 
by  an  unwearied  perseverance  in  attempting  to  over- 
come evil  with  good*.     It  returns  blessings  for  curses, 

*  S^e  Rom.  xii.  20,  21.  This  practice  the  apostle  recom- 
mends by  the  metaphor  of  heaping  coals  of  fire  on  an  enemy's, 
head.  As  metals  that  endure  a  moderate  warmth,  without  alter- 
ation, are  melted  down  and  quite  dissolved  by  an  intense  heat, 
so  the  hard  heart,  even  of  an  enemy,  may  be  sometimes  softened 
by  a  series,  an  indefatigable  heaping  up,of  favours  and  obligations. 
This  is  a  noble  piece  of  ciiemistry,  but  almost  as  much  out  of  re- 
pute and  practice  as  the  search  after  the  philosopher's  stone. 


CJiap.  2.         A  Review  of  Eedesiastical  History.  239 

prayers  for  ill  treatment,  and,  though  often  reviled  and 
affronted,  cannot  be  discouraged  from  renewed  efforts 
to  make  others  partakers  of  the  happiness  itself  pos- 
sesses. It  knows  how  to  express  a  becoming  indignation 
against  the  errors  and  follies  of  men,  but  towards  their 
persons*  it  is  all  gentleness  and  compassion;  it  weeps, 
(and  would,  if  possible,  weep  tears  of  blood,)  over  those 
who  will  not  be  persuaded  ;  but,  while  it  plainly  repre- 
sents the  consequences  of  their  obstinacy,  it  trembles 
at 'I"  its  own  declarations,  and  feels  for  them  who  can- 
not feel  for  themselves  :  it  is  often  grieved,  but  cannot 
be  provoked.  The  zealous  Christian  is  strictly  observ- 
ant of  his  own  failings,  candid  and  tender  to  the  faults 
of  others ;  he  knows  what  allowances  are  due  to  the 
frailty  of  human  nature  and  the  temptations  of  the  pre- 
sent state,  and  willingly  makes  all  the  allowances  pos- 
sible; and  though  he  dare  not  call  evil  good,  cannot  but 
judge  according  to  the  rule  of  the  Scripture,  yet  he 

*  When  St.  Paul,  speaking  of  the  Judaizing  false  teachers  and 
their  adherents,  says, "  I  would  they  were  even  cut  off  which  trou- 
'"  ble  you,"  he  seems  to  allude  to  the  circumcision  they  so  strenu- 
ously enfoi'ced,  Gal.  v.  12.  Compare  Phil.  iii.  2.  His  wish  concern- 
ing these  sectaries  has  been  often  perverted,  to  give  sanction  to 
the  rage  of  persecutors;  but  he  does  not  mean  to  cut  them  off  with 
fire  and  sword,  or  to  cut  them  off  from  fire  and  water,  but  to  have 
them  excluded  from  communion  and  converse  with  true  believei's. 
t  How  awful  to  declare,to  denounce  the  terrors  of  the  Lord !  Those 
terrors  which  are  represented  to  us  by  fire  unquenchable,  with  the 
additional  idea  of  eternity,  Matt.  iii.  12.;  Mark  ix.  43.  As  such 
descriptions  shock  and  alarm  a  guilty  conscience,  there  are  two 
different  methods  by  Avhich  the  removal  of  this  alarm  is  attempted. 
Some  seek  and  find  peace  and  security  from  the  blood  of  Jesus  ; 
and  some,  who  arc  not  pleased  with  this  method,  satisfy  themselves 
and  their  friends  with  criticisms  upon  the  terms,  and  tell  us  that 
'the  phrase  "  for  ever  and  ever"  signifies  a  limited  space ;  ami  "  fire 
"that  cannot  be  quenched,"  denotes  fire  that  goes  out  of  itself. 


24.0  J.  Iteviciv  of  Ecdcs'msttcal  tlistory.         Book  H , 

will  conceal  the  infirmities  of  men  as  much  as  he  can, 
will  not  speak  of  them  without  just  cause,  much  less 
will  he  aggravate  the  case,  or  boast  himself  over  them. 
Such  was  the  zeal  of  our  apostle :  bold  and  intrepid  in 
the  cause  of  God  and  truth,  unwearied  in  service,  in- 
flexible in  danger ;  when  duty  called,  he  was  not  to  be 
restrained  either  by  the  threats  of  enemies,  the  solici- 
tations of  friends,  or  the  prospect  of  any  hardships  to 
which  he  might  be  exposed.  He  cheerfully  endured 
hunger  and  thirst,  watching  and  weariness,  poverty  and 
contempt,  and  counted  not  his  life  dear,  so  that  he 
might  fulfil  the  great  purposes  of  the  ministry  which  he 
had  received  of  the  Lord.  But  at  the  same  time,  in 
all  his  intercourse  with  men,  he  was  gentle,  mild,  and 
compassionate ;  he  studied  the  peace,  and  accommo- 
dated himself  to  the  weakness,  of  all  about  him :  when 
he  might  command,  he  used  entreaties ;  when  he  met 
■with  hard  and  injurious  treatment,  he  bore  it  patiently, 
and,  if  opportunity  offered,  requited  it  with  kindness. 
Thus  as  he  had  drunk  of  the  spirit,  so  he  walked  in 
the  steps  of  his  Lord  and  Master. 

All  who  bear  the  name  of  ministers  of  Christ,  would 
do  well  to  examine  how  far  their  tempers  and  conduct 
are  conformable  to  St.  Paul's.  Are  there  not  too  many 
who  widely  differ  from  him  ?  Where  he  was  immov- 
able as  an  iron  pillar,  they  are  flexible  and  yielding 
as  a  reed  waving  in  the  wind,  suiting  their  doctrines 
and  practice  to  the  depraved  taste  of  the  world,  and 
prostituting  their  talents  and  calling  to  the  unworthy 
pursuit  of  ambition  and  applause.  On  the  other  hand, 
in  things  less  essential,  or  not  commanded,  they  invade 
the  rights  of  private  Judgment,  and  attempt  to  bind* 

*  Matt,  xxiii.  4.  "  They  bind  heavy  burdens,  and  grievous  to  be 
'•^  borne,"  a  \yeight  of  traditions  and  observance's,  "  and  lay  them 


_ll 


C]iap.  2.         J  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Histonj.  2iii 

heavy  yokes  and  impositions  upon  those  whom  Christ 
has  made  free ;  and  while  they  readily  tolerate,  (if  not 
countenance,)  scepticism  and  immorality,  they  exert  all 
their  strength  and  subtilty  to  disquiet  or  suppress  those 
who  differ  from  them  in  the  slightest  circumstance,  if 
they  profess  to  differ  for  concience's  sake.  But  Jesus 
has  no  such  ministers  :  their  claim  is  utterly  vain  ;  none 
but  those  who  are  ignorant  of  the  plainest  truths  can 
allow  them  this  character ;  their  tempers,  their  be- 
haviour, the  tenour  of  their  professed  instructions,  and 
the  total  want  of  efficacy  and  influence  in  their  mini- 
strations, plainly  demonstrate  that  he  neither  sent  thenx 
nor  owns  them. 

Vll.  Having  considered  the  subject-matter  and  the 
leading  views  of  the  apostle's  ministry,  it  may  not  be 
improper  to  take  some  notice  of  his  manner  as  a 
preacher.  This  he  reminds  the  Corinthians  of.  They 
were  reputed  a  polite  and  ingenious  people.  St.  Paul 
was  aware  of  their  character,  and  expresses  himself  as 
if  he  had  been  deliberating,  before  he  saw  them,  in 
what  way  he  should  address  them  with  the  fairest  pro- 
bability of  success.  He  tells  them*,  that  he  determined 
to  know  nothing  among  them  but  Jesus  Christ,  and  him 
crucified,  including,  in  this  one  comprehensive  expres- 
sion, the  whole  scheme  of  Gospel  doctrine;  and  as  to 
the  manner  in  which  he  delivered  this  doctrine,  he 
gays,  "  My  speech  and  my  preaching  was  not  with  en- 

*'  upon  men's  shoulders,  but  they  themselves  will  not  move 
"  them  with  one  of  their  fingers."  There  is  a  double  opposition  ■ 
in  this  passage—between  to  be  home  and  to  move^  and  between 
the  shoulders  and  2i  finger.  It  has  been  often  found  since,  that 
those  who  are  most  impatient  of  restraint  themselves,  are  most 
earnest  in  pressing  yokes  and  bonds  upor^  others. 
*   1  Cor.  ii.  1—^. 

Vol.   III..  9,  I 


242  A  Keview  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  II. 

"  ticins  words  of  man's  wisdom,  but  in  demonstration 
"  of  the  Spirit  and  with  power."     We  are  sure  that  he 
did  not  renounce  justness  of  reasoning  or  propriety  of 
expression;  in  these  respects  he  exceeded  their  most 
admired  orators,  as  may  appear  to  any  who  have  skill 
and  candour  to  compare  his  epistles  and  discourses,  (in 
the  original,)  with  the  best  performances  of  the  Greek 
writers  ;  but  he  renounced  "  the  enticing,"  or  plausible 
"  words  of  man's    wisdom."     In   the    term    "  man's 
"  wisdom,"   I  apprehend  may  be  included  whatever 
the  natural  faculties  of  man  are  capable  of  discovering 
or  receiving,  independent  of  the  peculiar  teaching  of 
the  Spirit  of  God,  w  hich  is  promised  and  restrained  to 
those  who,  sensible  of  their  own  foolishness,  are  brought 
to  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  the  wisdom  of  God;  and 
"  the  enticing  words"  of  man's  wisdom,  may  include  all 
those  ways  and  arts  which  the  wise  men  of  the  world 
have  used,  or  approved,  as  most  effectual  to  express, 
adorn,  or  defend  their  own  wise  sentiments  and  dis- 
coveries*.    These,  and  the  methods  of  setting  them  off 
to  advantage,  have  been  divided  into  many  branches, 
and  dignified  with  sounding  names  ;  but  all  the  efforts 
of  man's  wisdom,  considered  as  engaged  in  the  subjects 
of  religion  and  morals,  may  be  summed  up  in  three 

*  In  1  Cor,  xiv.  9.  St.  Paul  i*ecomniends  "  ^vords  easy  to  be 
"  understood."  His  reasoning  in  that  chapter  is  levelled  not  only 
against  the  absurdity  of  speaking  in  an  unknown  tongue,  but 
against  the  use  of  any  terms,  or  the  treating  upon  any  subjects, 
■which  are  not  adapted  to  the  level  of  the  auditory.  Many  dis- 
courses that  are  expressed  in  English  phrases,  are  as  useless  to 
the  bulk  of  the  people  as  if  they  were  delivered  in  Greek  ;  for 
what  have  the  people  to  do  with  scholastic  or  metaphysical  nice- 
ties, or  curious  researches  into  antiquity  or  elegant  dissei'tations 
upon  tlie  fitness  of  things  ?  They  cannot  understand  them  ;  and 
it  they  could,  they  would  find  them  nothing  to  their  purpose. 


Chap.  2.  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  243 

particulars.  1.  A  vain  inquiry  into  things  which  lie 
wholly  beyond  the  capacity  of  man  in  his  present  state, 
and  which  can  only  be  discovered  by  supernatural  re- 
velation. 2.  A  vain  attempt  to  account  for  every  thing 
according  to  the  light  and  principles  of  depraved  rea- 
son. 3.  A  studious  exactness  in  language,  either  an 
easy  flow  of  words  to  please  and  amuse  the  ear,  or  a 
torrent  of  strong  and  figurative  expressions  to  engage 
the  passions,  according  as  a  different  taste  or  fashion 
happens  to  prevail.  It  would  be  too  dry  a  task  to  il- 
lustrate these  points,  by  adducing  specimens  of  each 
from  the  works  of  the  ancient  and  modern  philosophers : 
but  if  we  had  not  other  employment  in  hand,  it  would 
be  easy  to  show  that  man's  wisdom,  in  the  first  sense, 
is  Uncertainty;  in  the  second,  Prejudice;  in  the  third, 
Imposition  and  artifice.  It  is  sufficient  for  my  present 
purpose,  that  the  apostle  renounced  them  all.  Instead 
of  vain  conjectures*,  he  spoke  from  certain  experience; 
he  could  say,  "  I  received  of  the  Lord,  that  which  I 
*'  also  delivered  to  you  :"  instead  of  accommodating  his 
doctrine  to  the  taste  and  judgment  of  his  hearers,  he 
spoke  with  authority,  in  the  name  of  God  whom  he 
served  :  instead  of  losing  time  in  measuring  words  and 
syllables,  that  he  might  obtain  the  character  of  a  fine 
speaker,  he  spoke,  from  the  feeling  and  fulness  of  his 

*  Though  the  apostle  disclaimed  the  light  sophistry  which  ob- 
tained in  the  schools,  the  tenour  of  his  preaching  was  founded 
upon  the  clearest  principles,  and  contained  a  chain  of  the  justest 
consequences.  He  did  not  only  assert,  but  prove  and  demon- 
strate the  truth  of  his  doctrines,  by  ancient  prophecies,  by  recent 
facts,  and  by  a  present  incontestible  cflicacy.  "  Yet  it  is  called 
"  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit,"  to  intimate  that  the  strongest 
and  best  adapted  evidence  is  insufficient  to  the  purposes  of  sal- 
vation, unless  accompanied  with  a  divine  poAver. 


244!  A  Bevkw  of  Ecclesiastical  Il'istarrj.        Book  11. 

heart,  the  M-ords  of  simplicity  and  truth.  The  success 
of  his  preachini^  did  not  at  all  depend  upon  the  softness 
and  harmony  of  his  periods,  and  tliercfore  he  disdained 
an  attention  to  those  petty  ornaments  of  speech,  which 
were  quite  necessary  to  help  out  the  poverty  of  "  man's 
"  wisdom ;"  he  sought  something  else,  which  those  vvho 
preach  themselves  rather  than  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord, 
have  little  reason  to  expect* ;  I  mean,  the  power  and 
demonstration  of  the  Spirit.  He  knew  that  this  alone 
could  give  him  success ;  and  ministers  may  learn  from 
him,  what  to  avoid  and  what  to  seek  for,  if  they  would 
be  useful  to  their  hearers.  Men  can  but  declare  the 
truths  of  the  Gospel ;  it  is  the  Spirit  of  God  who  alone 
can  reveal  them  :  nothing  less  than  a  divine  power  can 
present  them  to  the  mind  in  their  just  importance,  and 
throw  light  into  the  soul  by  which  they  may  be  per- 
ceived ;  nothing  less  than  this  power  can  subdue  the 
will,  and  open  the  heart  to  receive  the  truth  in  the  love 
of  it :  without  this  concurring  agency,  even  St.  Paul 
would  have  preached  in  vain.  From  what  has  been 
said,  we  may  remark  tvvo  obvious  reasons,  amongst 
others,  why  we  have  so  much  unsuccessful  preaching 
in  our  days  :  either  the  Gospel-truths  are  given  up,  or 
the  Gospel  simplicity  departed  from.  Where  either  of 
these  is  the  case,  the  Lord  refuses  his  power  and 
blessinw. 

*  A  man  atHo  has  languages  and  science  in  his  head,  but  does 
not  know  or  relish  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  is  an  ignorant,  indeed,  a 
Stupid  person,  unaffected  with  the  grandest  view  of  wisdom, 
power,  and  goodness,  that  ever  was,  or  can  be  displayed  ;  and 
whoever  truly  knows  and  embraces  this  mystery  of  godliness,  is 
a  wise  man,  a  person  of  an  excellent  understanding,  though  he 
may  not  be  much  acquainted  with  those  uncertain,  unsatisfying 
systems  which  men  have  agreed  to  honour  with  the  name  of 
knowledge.    See  Ps.  cxi.  lo. 


Cliap.  2.        A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  tlistery,  245 

VIII.  Another  observable  part  of  St.  Paul's  cha- 
racter, is  his  unaffected  humility.  In  the  midst  of  his 
eminent  and  extensive  services,  he  retained  a  deep 
sense  of  the  part  he  once  acted  against  the  Lord.  He 
speaks  of  himself,  on  this  account,  in  the  most  abasing 
language,  as  the  chief  of  sinners,  and  strongly  expresses 
his  unworthiness  of  the  grace  and  apostleship  he  ha4 
received,  by  comparing  himself  to  an  untimely  birth*; 
and  though  his  insight  into  the  mysteries  of  the  Gospel, 
the  communion  he  maintained  with  God  by  faith  in 
his  Son,  and  the  beauty  of  holiness  which  shone  in  his 
conversation,  were  all  beyond  the  common  measure  ; 
yet  having,  in  the  same  proportion,  a  clearer  sense  of 
his  obligations,  and  of  the  extent  and  purity  of  the  di- 
vine precepts,  he  thought  nothing  of  his  present  attain- 
ments, in  comparison  of  those  greater  degrees  of  grace 
he  was  still  pressing  after  f.  While,  in  the  eyes  of 
others,  he  appeared  not  only  exemplary,  but  unequal- 
led, he  esteemed  himself  less  than  the  least  of  all 
paints  J;  and  his  patience  and  condescension  towards 

*  1  Cor.  XV.  8.  "  As  one  born  out  of  due  time."  The  original 
word  is  ExT^D^aa,  that  is,  an  abortion.  He  speaks  of  himself  under 
this  despicable  image,  (the  true  sense  of  which  is  not  easily  per- 
ceived by  an  English  reader,)  to  show  the  deep  and  humbling  sense 
he  retained  of  the  part  he  once  acted  against  the  church  of  Christ. 
He  considered  himself  as  unworthy  and  contemptible  to  the  last 
degree,  as  one  of  whom  no  good  hope  could  be  justly  formed  at 
that  time,  much  less  that  he  should  be  honoured  with  a  sight  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  from  heaven,  and  with  a  call  to  the  apostolic 
oflice. 

t  Phil.  iii.  13.  "  Fogetting  the  things  that  arc  behind."  As  a 
traveller  upon  urgent  business  posts  from  place  to  place,  for- 
gets the  distance  and  inconveniences  behind  him,  and  has  all 
his  thoughts  taken  up  with  the  place  he  would  be  at,  and  the  re- 
mainder of  the  road  that  leads  to  it. 

:j:  Eph.  iii.  8. 


i^6  A  Revieto  of  Ecclesiastical  lUstarij.        Bdok  II. 

Others,  and  his  acquiescence  under  all  the  trying  dis- 
pensations of  providence  with  which  he  was  exercised, 
were  a  proof  that  this  was  not  an  affected  manner  of 
expression,  but  the  genuine  dictate  of  his  heart.     To 
speak  of  one's  self  in  abasing  terms  is  easy  ;  and  such 
language  is  often  a  thin  veil,  through  which  the  motions 
of  pride  may  be  easily  discerned  ;  but  though  the  lan- 
guage of  humility  may  be  counterfeited,  its  real  fruits 
and  actings  are  inimitable.     Here   again  he  is  a  pat- 
tern for  Christians.     An  humble  frame  of  mind  is  the 
strength  and  ornament  of  every  other  grace,  and  the 
proper  soil  wherein  they  grow.     A   proud  Christian, 
that  is,  one  who  has  a  high  conceit  of  his  own  abilities 
and  attainments,  is  no  less  a  contradiction,  than  a  sober 
drunkard,  or  a  generous  miser.     All  other  seeming  ex- 
cellences are  of  no  real  value,    unless    accompanied 
M'ith  this ;  and  though  a  person  should  appear  to  have 
little  more  than  a  consciousness  of  his  ovvn  insufficiency, 
and  a  teachable  dependent  spirit,   and  is  waiting  upon 
the  Lord,  in  his  appointed  way,  for  instruction  and  a 
blessing,  he  will  infallibly  thrive  as  a  tree  planted  by 
the  water  side ;  for  God,  who  rcsisteth  the  proud,  has 
promised  to  give  grace  to  the  humble  *.     But,  in  an 
especial  manner,  humility  is  necessary  and  beautiful  in 
a  minister.     The  greatest  abilities  and  most  unwearied 
diligence  vvill  not  ensure  success  without  it ;  a  secret, 
(if  allowed,)  apprehension  of  his  ovvn  importance,  will 
deprive  him  of  that  assistance,  without  wiiich  he  can 
do  nothing ;  "  his  arm  will  be  dried  up,  and  his  right 
"  eye  will  be  darkened  f ;"  for  the  Lord  of  hosts  hath 
purposed  to  stain  the  pride  of  all  human  glory,  and 
'%ill  honour  none  but  those  who  abase  themselves,  and 

*  James  iv.  6.  f  Zech.  xi.  17. 


Cliap.  2.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  247 

are  willing  to  give  all  the  praise  to  him  alone.  If  any 
man  had  ground  to  set  a  value  upon  his  knowledge, 
gifts,  and  services,  St.  Paul  might  justly  claim  the  pre- 
eminence. But  though  he  m  as  an  apostle,  and  an  in- 
spired writer,  though  he  had  planted  churches  through 
a  considerable  part  of  the  known  world,  though  he  was 
received  as  an  angel  by  many  to  whom  he  preached, 
and,  by  a  peculiar  favour,  had  been  caught  up  into  the 
third  heaven ;  yet  he  was,  by  grace,  preserved  from 
being  exalted  above  measure,  or  from  assuming  an  un- 
due superiority  over  his  brethren.  The  authority  with 
which  he  was  intrusted  he  employed  solely  to  their  ad- 
vantage, and  accounted  himself  the  least  of  all,  and  the 
servant  of  all.  How  very  opposite  has  been  the  con- 
duct of  many  since  his  time,  who  have  aimed  to  appro- 
priate the  name  of  ministers  of  Christ  exclusively  to 
themselves  ! 

Such  was  our  apostle,  and  the  same  spirit,  (though 
in  an  inferior  degree,)  will  be  found  in  all  the  faithful 
ministers  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  They  love  his  name ;  it 
is  the  pleasing  theme  of  their  ministry,  and  to  render 
it  glorious  in  the  e^es  of  sinners  is  the  great  study  of 
their  livies.  For  his  sake,  they  love  all  who  love  him, 
and  are  their  willing  servants  to  promote  the  comfort 
and  edification  of  their  souls.  They  love  his  Gospel, 
faithfully  proclaim  it  without  disguise  or  alteration,  and 
shun  not  to  declare  the  whole  counsel  of  God,  so  far 
as  they  are  themselves  acquainted  with  it.  They  contend 
earnestly  for  the  faith  onCe  delivered  to  the  saints  ;  and 
are  desirous  to  preserve  and  maintain  the  truth,  in  its 
power  and  purity.  The  knowledge  of  their  own  weak- 
ness and  fallibility  makes  them  tender  to  the  weaknesses 
of  others  ;  and  though  they  dare  not  lay,  or  allow,  any 
other  foundation  than  that  which  God  has  laid  in  Zion, 


24S  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastkal  History,        Book  If. 

yet,  knowing  that  the  kingdom  of  God  does  not  consist 
in  meats  and  drinks,  but  in  righteousness,  peace,  and 
joy  in  the   Holy  Ghost,  they  guard  against  the  influ- 
ence of  a  party-spirit ;  and  if  their  labours  are  confined 
to    Christians    of  one  denomination,  their    love  and 
prayers  are  not  limited  within  such  narrow  bounds,  but 
extend  to  all  who  love  and  serve  their  Master.     They-, 
have  entered  upon  the  ministry,  not  for  low  and  sordid 
ends,  for  popular  applause,  or  filthy  lucre,  but  from  a 
Gonstrainino'  sense  of  the  love  of  Jesus,  and  a  just  re- 
gard to  the  worth  and  danger  of  immortal  souls.  Their 
zeal  is  conducted  and  modelled  by  the  example  and  pre- 
cepts of  their  Lord  :  their  desire  is  not  to  destroy,  but 
to  save ;  and  they  wish  their  greatest  enemies  a  partici- 
pation in  their  choicest  blessings.     In  the  subject-mat- 
ter and  the  manner  of  their  preaching,  they  show  that 
they  seek  not  to  be  men-pleasers,  but  to  commend  the 
truth  to  every  man's  conscience  in  the  sight  of  God  • 
and  when  they  have  done  their  utmost,  an(i  when  God 
has  blessed  their  labours,  and  given  them  acceptance 
and  success  beyond  their  hopes,  they  are  conscious  of 
the  defects  and  evils  attending  their  best  endeavours, 
of  the  weak  influence  the  truths  they  preach  ,t;o  lOthers 
have  upon  their  own  hearts ;  that  their  sufficiency  of 
every  kind  is  of  God,  and  not  of  themselves  ;  and  there- 
fore they  sit  down,  ashamed,  as  unprofitable  servants, 
and  can  rejoice  or  glory  in  nothing  but  in  Him  who 
came  into  the  world  to  save  the  chief  of  sinners. 

It  might  be  expected  that  a  spirit  and  conduct  thus 
uniformly  benevolent  and  disinterested,  and  witnessed 
to,  in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  by  the  good  effect  of 
their  ministry  and  example  amongst  their  hearers,  would 
secure  them  the  good  will  of  mankind,  and  entitle  them 
to  peace,  if  not  to  respect.     But,  on  the  contrary,  these 


Ciiap.  2.         A  Remew  of  Eeclesiasdcal  History.  249 

are  the  very  people  who  are  represented  as  deceivers  of 
souls,  and  disturbers  of  society  ;  they  are  not  permitted 
to  live  in  some  places,  and  it  is  owing  to  a  concurrence 
of  favourable  circumstances  if  they  are  permitted  to 
speak  in  any  ;  the  eyes  of  many  are  upon  them,  watch- 
ing for  their  halting ;  their  infirmities  are  aggravated,  their 
expressions  wrested,  their  endeavours  counteracted,  and 
their  persons  despised.  The  design  of  our  histoi'y  is  to 
show,  in  the  course  of  every  period  of  the  church,  that 
those  who  have  approached  nearest  to  the  character 
I  have  attempted  to  delineate  from  St.  Paul,  have 
always  met  with  such  treatment*  ;  and  from  his  decla- 
ration, that  "  all  who  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus  shall 
"  suffer  persecution'!","  we  may  expect  it  will  always  be 
so,  while  human  nature  and  the  state  of  the  world  re- 
main as  they  are.  However,  it  may  be  a  consolation 
to  those  who  suffer  for  righteousness  sake,  to  reflect, 
that  the  apostles  were  treated  thus  before  them  ;  parti- 
cularly  St.  Paul,  who,  as  he  laboured,  so  he  suffered 
more  abundantly  than  the  rest.  His  person  was  treated 
with  contempt  and  despite,  his  character  traduced,  his 
doctrine  misrepresented  ;  and,  though  his  natural  and 
acquired  abilities  were  great,  and  he  spoke  with  power 
and  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit,  yet  he  was  esteemed 
the  filth  and  olf-scouring  of  all  things,  a  babbler  J  and  a 
madman  §. 

*  Our  Lord's  declaration,  "  Behold  I  send  you  forth  as  Iambs 
"  in  the  midst  of  wolves,"  is  applicable  to  all  his  servants.  The 
sight  of  a  lamb  is  sufficient  to  provoke  the  rage  and  appetite  of 
a  wolf.  Thus  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel  awakens  the  rage  and 
opposition  of  the  world  ;  they  have  an  antipathy  to  it,  and  owe  it 
;i  grudge  wherever  they  see  it. 

t  2  Tim.  iii.  12.  \  Acts  xvii.  18. 

§  2  Cor.  V.  1 3 .  See  -likewise  Mark  iii.  21."  And  when  his  friends 
"  heard  it,  they  went  out  to  lay  hold  on  him ;  for  they  said,  He  is 

Vol.  III.  2  K 


256  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History,       Book  II. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Of  the  Irregularities  and  Offences  xi'hich  appeard  in  the  JpoS' 
tolic  Churches. 

-I  HFRE  are  few  things  in  which  the  various  divisions 
of  professing  Christians  are  so  generally  agreed,  as  in 
sj)eaking  highly  and  honourably  of  primitive  Christia- 
nity. In  many  persons  this  is  no  more  than  an  ignorant 
admiration,  not  capable  of  distinguishing  what  is  truly 
praiseworthy,  but  disposed  to  applaud  every  thing  in 
the  gross  that  has  the  sanction  of  antiquity  to  recom- 
mend it.  The  primitive  Christians  have  been  looked 
upon,  by  some,  as  if  they  were  not  men  of  the  same  na- 
ture and  infirmities  with  ourselves,  but  nearly  infallible 
and  perfect.  This  is  often  taken  for  granted  in  gene- 
ral, and  when  particulars  are  insisted  on,  it  is  observ- 
able that  they  are  seldom  taken  from  the  records  of  the 
New  Testament,  and  the  churches  which  flourished  in 

«  beside  himself;"  that  is  to  say,  his  attention  to  the  office  he 
has  undertaken,  has  transported  him  beyond  the  bounds  of  rea- 
son, and  made  him  forget  his  station,  his  friends,  and  his  safety  ; 
therefore,  out  of  pure  affection  and  prudence,  they  -would  have 
confined  him  :  nor  is  it  any  wonder  that  our  Lord's  friends  and 
relatives  should  thus  think  and  speak  of  him,  since  we  are  as- 
sured that  even  his  brethren  did  not  believe  on  him  ;  John  vii.  5. 
And  there  seems  to  have  been  no  possible  medium.  All  who 
were  conversant  with  him,  must  either  receive  him  as  the  Mes- 
siah, or  pity,  if  not  despise  him,  as  a  madman.  This  was  the 
mildest  judgment  they  could  form.  The  Pharisees,  indeed, 
went  further,  and  pronounced  him  an  impostor  and  a  devil. — 
Such  was  the  treatment  our  Lord  and  Master  found.  Let  not 
then  his  disciples  and  servants  be  surprised  or  grieved,  that 
they  are  misrepresented  and  misunderstood,  on  account  of  their 
attuchment  to  him,  but  let  them  comfort  themselves  with  his 
gracious  words— John  xv.  V8— 21. 


Chap.  S.         A  Beoiexo  of  Ecclesiastical  TFistory.  ^51 

the  apostles'  times,  but  rather  from  those  who  lived  in 
and  after  the  second  century,  when  a  considerable  de- 
viation in  doctrine,  spirit,  and  conduct,  from  thos^ 
which  were  indeed  the  primitive  churches,  had  already 
taken  place,  and  there  were  evident  appearances  of 
that  curiosity,  ambition,  and  will  worship,  which  in- 
creased, by  a  swilt  progress,  till  at  length  professed 
Christianity  degenerated  into  little  more  than  an  emp- 
ty name. 

If  Christians  of  the  early  acres  are  supposed  to  have 
been  more  exemplary  than  in  after  periods,  chiefly  be- 
cause they  lived  nearer  to  the  times  of  our  Lord  and 
his  apostles,  it  will  follow  of  course,  that  the  earlier  the 
better.  We  may  then  expect  to  find  most  of  the 
Christian  spirit  among  those  who  were  converted  and 
edified  by  the  apostles'  personal  ministry  ;  and  though 
we  cannot  allow  the  assumption,  (for  the  power  of  god- 
liness depends  not  upon  dates,  periods,  or  instruments, 
but  upon  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,)  yet  we  are 
content  to  join  issue  upon  the  conclusion,  and  are  will- 
ing that  all  claims  to  a  revival  of  religion,  and  a  real 
reformation  of  manners,  shall  be  admitted  or  rejected, 
as  they  accord  or  disagree  with  the  accounts  we  have  of 
the  churches  planted  by  the  apostles,  and  during  the 
time  that  these  authorized  ministers  of  Christ  presided 
over  them.  We  can  find  no  other  period  in  which  we 
can,  to  so  much  advantage,  propose  the  visible  churches 
of  Christ  as  a  pattern  and  specimen  of  what  his  grace 
and  Gospel  may  be  expected  to  produce  in  the  present 
state  of  human  nature ;  for  the  apostles  were  furnished, 
in  an  extraordinary  manner,  with  zeal,  wisdom,  and  au-' 
thority  for  their  work,  and  God  was  remarkably  pre- 
sent with  them  by  the  power  of  his  Spirit.  Besides, 
as  all  the  information  we  have  concerning  this  period  is 


252  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  11 . 

derived  from  the  inspired  writings,  we  have  that  cer- 
tainty of  facts  to  ground  our  observations  upon,  which 
no  other  history  can  afford. 

We  have  a  pleasing  description  of  the  first  of  these 
churches,  which  was  formed  at  Jerusalem  soon  after  our 
Lord's  ascension.  On  the  day  of  Pentecost,  many 
who  had  personally  consented  to  the  death  of  Jesus,  re- 
ceived power  to  believe  in  his  name,  and  publicly  joined 
themselves  to  his  disciples.  A  sense  of  his  love  and 
grace  to  each,  united  the  whole  body  so  closely  toge- 
ther, that,  though  they  were  a  multitude  of  several 
thousands,  it  is  said,  they  "  were  of  one  heart  and  of 
"  one  soul ;  neither  said  any  of  them,  that  aught  of  the 
"  things  which  he  possessed  was  his  own,  but  they  had 
'*  all  things  common*,"  "  and  they  continued  steadfastly 
"  in  the  apostles' doctrine  and  fellowship,  and  in  breaking 
"  of  bread,  and  in  prayers."  These  were  happy  times  in- 
deed !  No  interfering  interests  or  jarring  sentiments, 
no  subtle  or  factious  spirits,  no  remisness  in  the  means 
of  grace,  no  instances  of  a  conduct  in  any  respect  unbe- 
coming the  Gospel,  were  to  be  found  among  them;  it 
seemed  as  if  the  po\vertul  sense  of  divine  truths  whici* 
they  had  received  had  overborne,  if  not  extirpated, 
every  evil  disposition  in  so  large  an  asSfembly.  Yet 
even  this,  (the  difference  of  numbers  excepted,)  is  no  pe- 
culiar case.  The  like  has  been  observable  again  and 
again,  when  God  has  been  pleased  to  honour  ministers, 
far  inferior  to  the  apostles,  with  a  sudden  and  signal 
influence,  in  places  where  the  power  of  the  Gospel  had 
heen  little  known  before.  In  such  circumstances  the 
truth  has  been  often  impressed  and  received  with  as- 
tonishing effects.  Many  who  before  were  dead  in  tres- 

Acts  iv.   i2. 


Chap.  3.        A  Revieio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  SS3 

passes  and  sins,  having  been,  like  those  of  old,  pierced 
to  the  heart,  and  then  filled  with  comfort,  from  a  be- 
lieving knowledge  of  him  on  whom  their  sins  were  laid, 
find  themselves,  as  it  were,  in  a  new  world  ;  old  things 
are  past  away ;  the  objects  of  time  and  sense  appear 
hardly  wortli  their  notice ;  the  love  of  Christ  constrains 
thera,  and  they  burn  in.  love  to  all  who  join  with  them 
in  praising  their  Saviour.  Here,  indeed,  is  a  striking 
change  wrought ;  yet  the  infirmities  inseparable  from 
human  nature,  though  for  the  present  overpowered, 
will,  as  occasions  arise,  discover  themselves  again,  so 
far  as  to  prove  two  things  universally.  1.  That  the 
best  of  men  are  still  liable  to  mistakes  and  weaknesses, 
for  which  they  will  have  cause  to  mourn  to  the  end  <of 
tiieir  lives.  2.  That  in  the  best  times  there  will  be 
some  intruders,  who,  for  a  season,  may  make  a  pro- 
fession, and  yet,  in  the  end,  appear  to  have  neither  part 
nor  lot  in  the  matter.  Thus  it  was  in  the  church  of 
Jerusalem.  The  pleasing  state  of  thing&mentioned  above 
did  not  continue  very  long :  an  Ananias  and  a  Sapphira 
were  soon  found  amongst  them,  who  sought  the  praise 
of  men,  and  made  their  profession  a  cloak  for  covetous- 
ness  and  hypocrisy*  :  grudgings  and  murmurings  arose 
in  a  little  time  between  the  Jews  and  the  Hellenistsf  : 
and  it  was  not  long  before  they  were  thrown  into 
strong  debates,  and  in  danger  of  divisions,  upon  ac- 
count of  the  question  first  started  at  Antioch,  whether 
the  law  of  Moses  was  still  in  force  to  believers  or  notj. 
In  these  later  times,  when  it  has  been  attempted  to 
vindicate  and  illustrate  a  revival  of  religion,  by  appeal- 
ing to  the  writings  of  St.  Paul,  and  the  delineation  he 
has  given  us  of  the  faith  and  practice  of  a  Christian,  the 

*  Acts  V.  t  Acts  vi.  \  Acts  xr. 


2o4i  u4  Revieii)  of  Ecelesiastical  History.        Book  II. 

attempt  has  often  excited  disdain.  It  has  been  thought 
a  sufficient  answer  to  enumerate  and  exaggerate  the 
faults,  mistakes,  and  inconsistencies,  (or  what  the  world 
is  pleased  to  account  such,)  that  are  charged  upon  the 
persons  concerned  in  such  an  appeal,  as  necessarily 
proving  that,  wliere  these  blemishes  are  found,  there 
can  be  no  resemblance  to  the  first  Christians.  If  the 
frequency  did  not  lessen  the  wonder,  it  might  seem 
very  unaccountable  that  any  person  who  has  read  the 
New-Testament,  should  venture  upon  this  method  in  a 
Protestant  country,  where  the  people  have  the  Scrip- 
ture in  their  hands,  and  are  at  liberty  to  judge  for  them- 
selves. But  as  there  are  not  a  few,  even  among  Pro- 
testants, who  seem  to  expect  their  assertions  will  pass 
for  proofs,  I  propose,  in  this  chapter,  to  point  out  se-^ 
veral  things,  which,  though  undoubtedly  wrong,  had  a 
considerable  prevalence  among  the  first  Christians, 
leaving  the  application  to  the  judicious  reader.  I  ac- 
knowledge my  firm  persuasion  that  a  certain  system  of 
doctrine,  revived  of  late  years,  is  the  doctrine  of  the 
reformation,  and  of  the  New-Testament,  which  though 
not  suited  to  the  general  and  prevailing  taste,  is  at- . 
tended,  more  or  less,  with  the  blessing  and  power  of 
God,  in  turning  sinners  from  darkness  to  light.  I  con- 
fess, that  both  ministers  and  people  who  espouse  this 
despised  cause,  have  sufficient  ground  for  humiliation. 
We  have  seen,  we  still  see,  many  things  amongst  us 
which  we  cannot  approve ;  we  fear  that  too  many  are 
a  real  discredit  to  the  cause  they  profess  ;  and  we  are 
conscious  that  the  best  of  us  fall  mourntuUy  short  of 
what  might  be  expected  from  ihe  sublime  principles 
which,  by  the  grace  of  God,  we  have  been  taught  from 
his  word.  We  desire  to  be  open  to  conviction,  not  to 
contend  for  errors,  or  even  to  ymdicate  any  thmg  that 


Chap.  3.^        A  Reviao  of  EcdesiaMical  ITistoryl  SS5 

can  be  proved  contrary  to  the  Scripture  ;  but  if  some 
things  not  justifiable,  which  we  must  own  have  ac- 
companied what  we  verily  believe  to  be  a  work  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  are,  (as  some  would  represent  them,)  suf- 
ficient to  discredit  this  work,  to  impeach  the  truth  of 
the  doctrines  or  the  sincerity  of  the  instruments  in  the 
gross — then! we  are  sure  it  will  follow,  upon  the  same 
principles,  that  the  Jews  and  Heathens  had  just  ground 
and  warrant  to  reject  the  doctrine  of  the  apostles,  and 
to  treat  their  persons  with  contempt. 

A  complete  knowledge  and  consideration  of  the 
present  state  of  man,  in  himself,  and  of  the  circum- 
stances in  which  he  is  placed,  are  necessary  to  preserve 
us  from  being  offended  with  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  on 
account  of  the  imperfections  that  may  be  found  in  the 
conduct  of  those  who  have  sincerely  received  it.  Due 
allowances  must  be  made  for  the  remains  of  ignorance 
and  prejudice,  the  power  of  habit,  temper,  and  consti- 
tution, in  different  persons.  The  various  combinations 
of  these,  and  other  particulars,  make  each  individual 
character,  though  agreeing  in  one  common  nature,  and 
influenced  by  the  same  general  principles,  in  some  re-- 
spects  an  original.  The  power  and  subtilty  of  Satan, 
and  his  address  in  suiting  his  temptations  to  the  pecu- "» 
liar  inclinations  and  ^ituation  of  every  person,  must  be 
taken  into  the  account ;  and  likewise  the  immense  va- 
riety of  occasions  arising  from  without,  such  as  the 
provocations*  and  arts  of  enemies,  the  influence  of  mis- 
taken friends,  the  necessary  engagements,  connexions, 
and  relations  of  common  lite,  the  artifices  of  seducers, 
and  the  scandals  ot  false  professors.  These  things,  and 
others  which  might  be  named,  concur  to  make  the  path 
of  duty  exceeding  difficult,  especially  to  young  begin- 
ners; who,  so  soon  as  they  become  sincerely  desirous 


256  A  Remew  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  II. 

to  serve  the  Lord,  find  themselves  immediately  in  the 
midst  of  scenes,  in  which  they  can  only  be  fitted  to  act 
their  parts  aright  by  a  gradual  and  painful  experience. 
They  wlwse  intentions  are  right,  usually  set  out  with 
vjarm  hearts  and  sanguine  expectations,  little  aware  of 
the  difficulties  that  are  before  them.  They  have,  indeed 
a  sure  rule  to  act  by  in  the  Scripture,  and  they  have  a 
sure  promise,  that  the  Spirit  of  God  will  be  their  guide 
|ind  teacher ;  but  at  first  they  have  but  little  acquaint- 
ance with  the  Scripture,  and  till  they  are  humbled, 
by  being  left  to  commit  many  mortifying  mistakes,  they 
are   too  prone  to  lean  to   their  own  understandings. 
Everyday  brings  them  into  some  new  difficulty,  wherein 
they  can  get  little  direction  from  what  they  have  passed 
through  before  ;  and  often  emergencies  are  so  pressing 
as  hardly  to  leave  room  for  deliberation  :  in  short,   it 
seems,  to  be  the  Lord's  pleasure,  not  so  much  to  pre- 
serve them  from  mistakes  and  indiscretions  at  first,  as 
to  take  occasion  to  humble  them  upon  this  account,  and 
to  show  tliem  how  to  correct  them  when  made.    Thus 
they  are  more  confirmed  in  a  sense  of  their  own  weak- 
ness and  of  his  goodness,  and  are  trained  up,  by  time, 
observation,  and  repeated  trials,  to  a  more  perfect  ex- 
ercise of  every  branch  of  Christian  wisdom.  By  degrees 
their  judgments  are  formed  to  greater  maturity;    they 
are  more  jealous  of  themselves,  more  acquainted  with 
Satan's  devices,  more  capable  of  distinguishing  the  spi- 
rit and  conduct  of  mankind,  and  especially  more  simply-' 
dependent  upon  God  for  his  teaching  and  direction : 
and  thus  they  grow  into  a  participation  of  the  spirit  of 
the  Gospel,  and  are  enabled  to  act  and  speak  as  be- 
comes the  servants  of  Christ.     When  his  Gospel  is 
faithfully  preached  and  cordially  received,  there  always 
will  be  some  who  are  able,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  put 


©irap.  3.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  $57 

to  silence  the  ignorance  of  foolish  men,  and  to  demean 
themselves  so,  that  if  any  will  speak  evil  of  them,  the 
shame  is  retorted  upon  themselves.  But,  among  the 
numbers  who  are  forming  in  the  same  school,  there  will 
likewise  be  some,  (for  the  reasons  I  have  suggested,) 
whose  conduct  will,  in  some  respects,  be  liable  to  cen- 
sure, though  their  hearts  are  sincere,  and  there  will 
frequently  be  others,  who,  (like  the  hearers  compared 
by  our  Lord  to  seed  sown  upon  rocky  ground,)  will 
thrust  themselves  amongst  professors,  be  called  by  the 
same  name,  and  accounted  by  the  world  the  same  peo- 
ple, who  at  length  discover  themselves  to  be  mere  hy- 
pocrites. These,  indeed,  will  furnish  occasion  enough 
for  exception  ;  and  they  who  are  glad  to  have  it  so,  will 
readily  suppose,  or  pretend,  that  they  are  all  alike.  It 
remains  to  show  that,  in  this  sense,  there  is  no  new 
thing  under  the  sun.     It  was  so  from  the  beginning. 

The  apostle  Paul  bears  an  honourable  testimony  to 
the  sincerity,  2eal,  and  grace  of  the  believers  amongst 
w-hom  he  had  preached,  and  to  whom  he  had  written. 
He  commends  their  work  of  faith  and  labour  of  love; 
he  styles  them  his  joy,  his  glory,  and  his  crown;  and  ex- 
presses his  confidence  that  the  Lord,  who  had  begun  a 
good  work  in  them,  would  assuredly  complete  it  But 
though  he  knew  there  were  many  persons  aEUong  them 
who  were  established  in  the  truth,  and  judicious  in  their 
conduct;  his  admonitions,  upon  several  occasions,  show 
t4iere  were  others  whose  judgments  were  weak,  and  be- 
haviour unvvarraatable. 

He  §peaks  of  the  Corinthians  *  as  a  people  enriched 
in  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  honoured  with  an  emi- 
nency  of  gifts.     Yet  he  takes  notice  of  many  things 

*   1  Cor.  i.  5. 

VoT.  m  2  L 


25$  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  II. 

blameable  in  them;  insomuch  that,  if  the  people  who 
now  censure  appearances  of  a  religious  kind,  because 
they  are  not  wholly  free  from  imperfection,  could  have 
bad  opportunity  to  judge  of  the  Christians  at  Corinth  in 
the  same  spirit,  it  is  probable  they  would  have  despised 
and  condemned  those  whom  the  apostle  loved,  as  much 
as  they  can  possibly  do  any  set  of  people  now. 

They  had  first  received  the  Gospel  from  St.  Paul,  biit 
it  had  been  confirmed  to  them  afterwards  by  other  rni- 
nisters.  The  servants  of  Christ  all  preach  the  same 
truths ;  but  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  furnishes  them  all  for 
the  work  he  appoints  them  to,  distributes  to  each  one 
iseverally,  according  to  his  own  will.  He  communicates 
a  diversity  of  gifts,  not  all  to  one  person,  but  each  has 
a  talent  given  him  to  profit  withal.  One  is  favoured  with 
a  peculiar  insight  into  the  mysteries  of  the  Gospel,  ano- 
ther has  a  power  and  pathos  of  expression,  and  another 
is  happy  in  a  facility  of  applying  to  distressed  and 
wounded  consciences.  It  is  the  duty  and  privilege  of 
Christians  to  avail  themselves  of  these  different  talents, 
to  profit  by  each,  to  be  thankful  for  all,  and  to  esteem 
every  faithful  minister  very  highly  for  his  works'  sake. 
But  the  Corinthians  were  unduly  influenced  by  personal 
attachments,  as  their  several  inclinations  led  them. 
They  formed  imprudent  comparisons  and  preferences, 
were  divided  into  parties,  and  drawn  into  cjDntentions, 
upon  this  account ;  one  saying,  I  am  of  Paul ;  another, 
I  ajn  of  Apoilos,  or  I  of  Cephas  *  :  they  thought  it  a 
mark  of  zeal  to  be  strenuous  for  their  respective  favour- 
ites ;  but  St.  Paul  assured  them  that  it  was  a  sign  they 
Were  weak  and  low  in  the  Christian  life,  and  a  means 
to' keep  them  so.     Disputes  and  prepossessions  of  this 

*   1  Cor.  i.  12.;  iu.  4. 


Chap.  3.        A  Retdew  of  Eeclesiastieal  History.  25y 

kind  draw  the  mind  away  from  its  proper  nourishment, 
and  afford  occasion  for  the  various  workings  of  our 
selfish  passions.  Wherever  the  Lord  is  pleased  to 
raise  up,  in  or  near  the  same  place,  ministers  who  are 
of  eminence  in  their  different  gifts,  the  effects  of  this 
spirit  will  be  more  or  less  observable ;  and  it  is  eagerly 
observed  by  the  world,  and  amplified  to  the  utmost,  as 
a  weighty  objection.  The  ministers  are  represented  to 
)be  artful  designing  men,  who,  under  the  sacred  names 
of  Christ  and  the  Gospel,  are  aiming  chiefly  or  solely 
to  form  a  party  of  dependants  upon  themselves  ;  and 
the  people  are  accounted  silly  sheep,  carried  away  cap- 
tive by  the  influence  of  their  popular  leaders,  insomuch 
that  they  cannot,  or  dare  not,  receive  the  doctrines 
they  profess  to  love  from  any  but  their  own  favourites. 
The  disposition  is  certainly  wrong ;  but  let  it  be  cen- 
sured with  candour,  not  as  the  peculiarity  of  this  or 
that  party,  but  as  a  fault  which  human  nature  is  always 
prone  to  in  a  similar  circumstance.  It  showed  a  want 
of  solid  judgment  in  the  Corinthians,  but  was  no  im- 
peachment of  their  sincerity ;  much  less  did  it  prove 
that  Paul,  Apollos,  or  Cephas,  were  mercenary  ambi- 
tious men,  who  prostituted  their  talents  and  influence  to 
gain  disciples  to  themselves  rather  than  to  Christ.  The 
same  premises  will  admit  of  no  stronger  conclusion 
^ovv  than  in  the  apostles'  days. 

The  proper  design  and  tendency  of  the  religion  ol" 
Jesus  is,  to  wean  the  apections  from  the  world,  to  mor- 
tify the  dictates  of  self-love,  and  to  teach  us,  by  his 
example,  to  be  gentle,  forbearing,  benevolent,  and  dis- 
interested. This  the  world  is  aware  of;  and,  though 
they  declare  their  dislike  to  the  principles  which  alone 
can  produce  such  a  spirit,  they  always  expect  it  from 
the  people  who  profess  them ;  and,  therefore,  when, 


260  A  lievieio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  11. 

amongst  the  numbers  of  these,  they  can  find  a  few 
instances  of  persons  too  much  actuated  by  selfish^** 
worldly,  or  angry  tempers,  it  is  eagerly  objected, 
"  These  are  excellent  people,  if  youwould  judge  of  them 
"  by  the  length  and  frequency  of  their  devotions,  and  by 
"  what  they  have  to  say  of  their  persuasion  of  God's  love 
"  to  them  ;  but  touch  them  in  their  property,  and  they 
*'  show  themselves  as  unwilling  to  forego,  and  as  anxious 
"  to  grasp,  the  good  things  of  this  world,  as  if  they  had  no 
*'*  better  claim  to  heaven  than  ourselves."  It  is  much  to  be 
lamented  that  such  occasions  of  reproach  are  afforded  to 
those  M'ho  seek  them.  But  what  would  they  have  said 
of  the  Corinthians  whom  the  apostle  reproves  in  the 
following  terms  ! — "  Now  therefore  there  is  utterly  a 
"  fault  among  you,  because  ye  go  to  law  one  with 
"  another  :  why  do  ye  not  rather  take  wrong  ?  why  do 
*'  ye  not  rather  suffer  yourselves  to  be  defrauded  ? 
"  Nay,  ye  do  wrong  and  defraud,  and  that  your  breth- 
"  ren*,"  And,  in  the  preceding  chapter,  he  speaks 
of  an  enormity  among  them  hardly  to  be  heard  of 
among  the  Heathens;  which,  though  the  fault  of  one 
person,  brought  dishonour  upon  them  all,  because  they 
had  not  explicitly  disowned  it,  and  proceeded  against 
the  offender.  This  is  not  to  be  wondered  at ;  for  we 
have  often  seen,  in  our  own  time,  that  though  evil  prac- 
tices have  been  censured  in  the  strongest  terms  of  dis- 
allow ance,  and  the  offenders  publicly  and  notoriously 
disclaimed,  yet  many  will  still  he  so  destitute  of  can- 
dour and  equity  as  to  insist  on  it,  "  They  are  all  alike." 
The  irregularities  in  the  public  worship  at  Corinth 
were  such  as,  if  practised  amongst  ourselves,  would 
'excite  a  greater  clamour  than  any  thing  of  that  nature 

*  I  Cor.  vi.  7,  8. 


Chk'p.  3..        A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  261 

which  has  been  hitherto  complained  of.  It  appears, 
that,  far  from  conducting  their  assemblies  with  de- 
cenc3'  and  order,  they  were  sometimes  in  the  greatest 
confusion.  Different  persons  had  a  psalm,  a  doctrine,  a 
tongue,  a  revelation,  an  interpretation,  many  speaking 
together,  and  sometimes  in  different  languages ;  so  that 
the  apostle  thought  it  very  probable  that,  if  an  unbe- 
liever came  in  amongst  them,  he  would,  of  course,  say 
they  were  mad  *.  And  tliis  want  of  decorum  extended 
to  their  celebration  of  the  Lord's  supper,  where,  says 
the  apostle,  '*  every  one  taketh'  before  another ;  and  one 
"  is  hungry,  and  another  is  drunken  f ."  I  apprehend 
that  these  instances  of  disorder  cannot  be  paralleled  by 
the  most  irregular  proceedings  in  our  time,  amongst  any 
people  that  hold  the  principles  which  I  am  at  present 
engaged  to  vindicate. 

Many  of  the  Corinthians,  as  well  as  the  Galatians, 
had  discovered  great  unsteadiness  towards  St.  Paul, 
and  had  been  seduced  by  false  teachers  and  pretended 
apostles  J  Inexperienced  minds  are  very  liable  to  such 
deceptions  :  meaning  well  themselves,  they  are  too  apt 
to  listen  to  the  fair   words  and  fine  speeches  of  those 

*   1  Cor.  xiv.  23.  t   1  Cor.  xi.  21. 

X  Yet  he  says  of  the  Galatians,  that  when  he  first  went  among 
them,  they  received  him  as  an  angel  of  God,  and,  if  possible,  would 
have  plucked  out  their  own  eyes  to  have  given  them  to  him,  Gal. 
iv.  15.  Great  is  the  power  of  the  Gosp>el ;  it  subdues  and  possesses, 
the  heai't,  and  conciliates  a  tenderness  and  relation  between  minis- 
ters and  people,  nearer  and  dearer  than  the  ties  of  flesh  and  blood* 
But,  alas,  how  great  likewise  is  the  inconstancy  of  mortals  !  The 
apostle  experienced  it  to  his  grief  j  and  where  he  had  the  greatest 
prospect,  he  was  most  disappointed.  Those  who  once  would  have 
plucked  out  their  own  eyes  for  his  service,  afterwards  accounted 
him  their  enemy  for  telling  them  the  truth.  We  need  not  there- 
fore wonder  if  there  are  instauc  es  of  this  kind  at  present. 


36S  A  Kevieio  of  Ecclesiastical  Histori/.         Book  II. 

who  lie  in  wait  to  deceive.  The  love  of  Christ,  and  the 
love  of  holiness,  are  the  leading  properties  of  a  gracious 
heart ;  and  such  an  one,  till  experience  has  made  him 
wise,  conceives  a  good  opinion  of  all  who  profess  4  re- 
gard for  Jesus,  or  for  sanctification.  He  is  not  aware, 
at  first,  that  there  are  those  in  the  world  who  attempt 
to  divide  what  God  has  joined  together.  When  the 
blood  and  righteousness  of  Christ  are  recommended, 
not  as  the  source,  but  as  a  substitute  for  vital,  experi- 
mental religion,  or  when  some  other  spirit  is  preached 
than  that  whose  office  it  is  to  testify  of  Jesus  ;  in  either 
ease  the  food  of  the  soul  is  poisoned,  and  the  evil  be- 
gins to  operate  before  it  is  perceived.  Faithful  minis- 
ters are  accounted  too  low  or  too  high,  too  strict  or  too 
remiss,  according  to  the  scheme  newly  adopted :  they 
are  first  disregarded,  and  at  length  considered  as  ene- 
mies, because  they  persist  in  the  truth,  and  refuse  to 
suit  themselves  to  the  new  taste  of  their  hearers.  Thus 
error,  once  admitted,  makes  an  alarming  progress,  and 
no  power  but  that  of  God  can  stop  it.  Hence  pro- 
ceed divisions,  subdivisions,  distinctions,  refinements, 
bitterness,  strife*,  envyings,  and  by  degrees  enthusiasm, 
in  the  worst  sense  of  the  word ;  an  evil  to  be  dreaded 
and  guarded  against  no  less  earnestly  than  the  begin- 
ning of  a  fire  or  a  pestilence.  Such  trying  circum- 
stances will  demonstrate  who  arc  indeed  upon  the  right 
foundation;  for  others,  having  once  begun  to  depart  from 

*  That  bitterness  and  strife  were  too  frequent  in  the  priniitive 
churches,  appears  from  James  iii.  14. ;  Gal.  v,  15.  and  other  texts.- 
Our  Lord's  admonition,  Matth.  vii.  3 — 5.  has  always  been  too  little 
regarded ;  and  few  arc  yet  sufficiently  convinced  of  the  folly  and 
absurdity  of  pointing  out,  and  in  an  angry  spirit  condemning,  the 
mistakes  and  faults  ofothers,whilc  we  indulge  greater  in  ourselves. 
Tieformation,  (like  modern  charity,)  should  begin  at  home. 


€iiap.  3.         S  Remevi  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  26^3 

the  truth,  gro<^'  worse  and  worse,  deceiving  and  being 
deceived  ;  and  many  who  are  built  upon  the  rock,  and 
therefore  cannot  be  totally  or  finally  drawn  away,  yet 
suffer  unspeakable  loss ;  the  *'  wood,  hay,  and  stub- 
"  ble*,"  the  unadvised  additions  they  have  admitted  to 
the  Scriptural  truths  they  once  received,  are  burnt  up 
in  the  time  of  temptation  ;  they  lose  much  of  their  com- 
fort and  stability,  and  have,  in  a  manner,  all  to  begin 
again.  The  world,  that  knows  not  the  weakness  of 
man,  or  the  power  and  devices  of  Satan,  laughs  at 
those  things,  and  expects  to  see  them  issue  in  an  uni- 
versal confusion,  like  that  of  Babel.  In  the  same  light, 
it  is  most  probable,  the  Heathens  beheld  and  derided 
the  primitive  Christians,  for  they  likewise  had  their 
shaking  and  sifting  times ;  many  amongst  them,  w  ho 
seemed  to  begin  in  the  Spirit,  were  stopped  short  in 
their  course  by  the  arts  of  false  teachers,  to  their  great 
hindrance,  and  some  to  their  final  overthrow. 

St.  Paul  addresses  no  one  church  in  terms  of  greater 
tenderness  and  approbation  than  the  Thessalonians, 
He  commends  their  work  of  faith,  and  labour  of  love, 
and  patience  of  hope,  in  our  Lord  Jesus,  and  mentions 
them  as  a  pattern  to  the  other  churches  in  Macedonia 
and  Greece.  Yet  even  among  these  he  understood  there 
were  '*  some  who  walked  disorderly,  and  were  busy- 
"  bodies,  not  working  at  all ;""  he  strongly  disapproved 
their  conduct,  declaring,  that  "  if  any  would  not  work, 
*'  neither  should  Iiq  eatf."  When  persons  are  newly 
awakened  to  a  concern  for  their  souls,  and  deeply  im- 
pressed with  the  importance  of  eternity,  it  is  no  wonder, 
(considering  the  animal  frame,)  if  their  attention  is  so 
engaged  and  engrossed  for  a  season,  that  they  cannot 

*  1  Cor.  iii.  10—15.  f  2  Thess.  iii.  10,  11, 


^64)  A  Ravicio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.       Book  If. 

attend  to  the  affairs  of  common  life  with  their  usual 
alacrity  and  freedom*.  If  their  concern  is  of  a  right 
kind,  they  are  gradually  brought  to  peace  and  hope  in 
believing.  They  recover  their  spirits  ;  and  their  civil 
callings  being  now  sanctified  by  a  desire  to  glorify  God 
in  them,  their  diligence  is  not  less,  but  trequently 
greater,  than  before ;  for  now  they  act  not  to  please 
men,  or  to  please  themselves,  but  what  they  do,  they 
do  heartily  as  to  the  Lord.  However,  amongst  a  num- 
ber of  people,  natural  temper,  indiscretion,  or  inad- 
vertence may  cause  some  to  deviate  from  the  general 
rule ;  and  tlu)ugh  we  cannot  justify  any  who  are  remiss 
in  the  discharge  of  the  relative  duties  of  society,  wc 
may  justify  the  doctrines  and  principles  they  acknow- 
ledge from  the  charge  of  leading  them  into  this  mis- 

o  no 

take,  unless  it  can  be  proved  that  St  Paul's  preaching 
was  justly  chargeable  with  the  same  fault. 

But  these  are  small  things  compared  to  what  he  says 
in  another  place.  He  complains  to  the  Philippian.s  in 
this  affecting languagef—"  Many  walk,(notsome  only, 
*'  but  many,)  of  whom  I  have  told  you  often,  and  now 

*  See  James  iv.  9.  The  word  KaTfl^aa,  rendered  heaviness^ 
answers  nearest  to  dejection,  the  derivation  importing  a  down- 
cast countenance ;  and  it  expresses  that  kind  of  sorrow  whick 
sinks  the  spirits,  and  fixes  the  eyes  upon  the  earth.  Something 
of  this  is  usually  discernible  when  a  real  conviction  of  sin  takes 
place  in  the  heart.  The  inspired  apostle  recommends  this 
temper  and  demeanour,  as  most  suitable  to  the  case  of  sinners 
who  are  destitute  of  faith  and  love,  and  cannot  therefore  rejoice 
upon  good  grounds  ;  and  yet,  when  any  person  begins  to  be  im- 
pressed in  this  manner,  and  to  see  the  pi-opriety  of  the  apostle's 
advice,  it  frequently  happens  that  all  who  k^.ow  him,  both  friends 
and  enemies,  will  agree  to  pronounce  hir-i  disordered  in  his  sen- 
ses. So  different,  so  opposite,  aye  (he  Spirit  of  God  and  Uh 
spirit  of  the  world  ! 

t  Phil.  iii.  18,  19. 


Chap.  S.         A  Rexne'w  of  Ecclesiastical  Histryry.  265 

"  tell  yon,  even  weeping,  that  they  are  enemies  of  the 
"  cross  of  Christ ;  whose  end  is  destruction,  whose 
**  God  is  their  belly,  who  mind  earthly  things."  St. 
Paul  had  occasion  to  express  himself  thus,  and  that 
again  and  again,  even  in  the  golden  days  of  primitive 
Christianity  *.  Could  their  worst  enemies  have  given 
them  a  worse  character?  Can  even  malice  itself  de- 
sire to  fix  a  harsher  imputation  upon  any  denomination 
of  people  now  subsisting  ?  Yet  these  are  the  words  of 
truth  and  soberness  ;  the  words  of  an  inspired  apostle  ; 
the  words,  not  of  resentment,  but  grief.  He  spoke  of 
it  weeping;  he  would  willingly  have  hoped  better  things; 
but  he  knew  what  tempers  and  practices  were  inconsist- 
ent with  a  sincere  acceptance  of  the  Gospel ;  and,  unless 
he  would  shut  his  eyes  and  stop  his  ears,  he  could  not 
but  be  sensible  that  many,  who  were  reputed  Christians, 
dishonoured  the  name  of  Christianity,  and  caused  the 

■  ways  of  truth  to  be  evil  spoken  of.  Now  what  is  the 
consequence?  Shall  the  apostle  bear  the  blame  f  of  the 
evils  and  abominations  he  lamented  ?  for  if  he  had  not 
preached,  these  evils  would  not  have  appeared  under 

*  What  disagreeable  things  the  apostle  was  apprehensive  of 
meeting,  when  he  should  revisit  Corinth,  we  may  learn  from  2 

■  Cor.  xii.  20,  21. 

t  The  apostle  knew  that  some  did  or  would  presume  to  infer 
a  liberty  to  sin  from  the  doctrine  which  he  preached,  Rom.  vi.  1.; 
yet  he  would  not  suppress  or  disguise  the  truths  of  God  to  pre- 
vent such  a  poor  disingenuous  perversion.  He  knew  likewise 
that  no  one,  who  had  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious,  can  either 
form  such  a  conclusion  himself,  or  listen  to  it  if  proposed  by 
others  ;  therefore  he  thought  it  unnecessary  to  refute  it  at  large. 
"  Shall  we  continue  in  sin  that  grace  may  abound  ?  God  forbid  1" 
This  is  a  sufficient  answer.  This  absurd  blasphemy  exposes 
and  confutes  itself;  the  terms  are  inconsistent,  impossible,  and 
contradictory  in  the  highest  degree. 

Vol.  III.  S  M 


266  A  Ilevieio  of  Ecclesiastical  Histonj.        Book  II. 

the  Christian  name.  Shall  the  wickedness  of  his  pre- 
tended followers  be  charged  as  the  necessary  effect  of 
that  pure  and  heavenly  doctrine  which  he  had  delivered? 
By  no  means.  The  grace  of  God,  which  he  preached, 
taught  and  enabled  those  who  received  it  in  their  hearts, 
"  to  deny  all  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  and  to  live 
"  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly  in  the  present  world." 
If  inquiry  was  made  concerning  the  tendency  of  his 
doctrine,  he  could  appeal  to  the  tempers  and  lives  of 
multitudes  *,  who  had  been  thereby  delivered  from  the 
love  and  power  of  sin,  and  filled  with  the  fruits  of 
righteousness  which  arc  by  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  glory 
and  praise  of  God.  But  it  was  likewise  true  that  they 
were  still  encumbered  with  a  depraved  nature ;  they 
were  in  a  w-orld  full  of  temptations  and  snares;  and,  as 
their  numbers  were  very  great,  some  instances  had  oc- 
curred of  persons  sincerely  well  disposed,  who  had  too 
visibly  declined  from  the  rule  by  which  they  professed 
and  desired  to  walk.  Against  their  mistakes  and  faults 
he  watchfully  directed  his  exhortations  and  admonitions, 
as  occasions  offered  ;  and  they  were  generally  attended 
with  a  good  effect,  to  convince,  humble,  and  restore 
the  offenders,  and  to  increase  their  circumspection  for 
the  time  to  come  f .  It  was  true  likewise,  that  there 
were  some  gathered  by  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel 
into  the  number  of  professors,  who  were  not  effectually 
called  and  changed  by  the  Spirit  of  God.-  These,  though 
for  a  time  they  had  a  name  to  live,  were  no  better  than 
dead ;  and  one  reason  why  the  Lord  permitted  the  of- 
fences and  divisions  we  have  mentioned  to  take  place 
was,  that,  by  the  means  of  such  heresies,  those  that 
were  approved  might  be  made  manifest,  and  the  chaff 

*  2  Cor.  iii.  2,  3.  f  2  Cor.  vii.  9. 


Gliap.  3.         A  lievicw  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  267 

separated  from  the  wheat.  For,  though  the  ignorant 
world  would  call  even  those  persons  Christians  whose 
conduct  proved  them  enemies  to  the  cross  of  Clirist, 
yet  time,  the  test  of  truth,  unanswerably  evinced  the 
difference.  Thus  St.  John,  who  lived  some  years  after 
the  rest  of  the  apostles,  and  saw  many  turn  their  backs 
upon  the  teachers  and  doctrines  they  had  once  owned, 
has  observed  to  this  purpose — "  They  went  out  from 
"  us,  but  they  were  not  of  us  ;  for  if  they  had  been  of 
"  us,  they  would,  no  doubt,  have  continued  with  us ; 
"  but  they  went  out  that  they  might  be  made  manifest, 
*'  that  they  were  not  all  of  us*."  In  a  word,  there 
were  too  many  pretenders;  some  things  amiss  where  the 
heart  and  views  were  right  in  the  main  ;  and  imperfec- 
tions in  the  best.  The  scorners  and  cavillers,  who  hated 
the  light  of  the  Gospel,  and  were  always  in  search  of 
something  to  confirm  their  prejudices  against  it,  met 
with  much  answerable  to  their  wishes,  even  in  the  first 
and  best  churches ;  but  to  men  of  candour,  who  were 
ingenuous  seekers  of  the  truth,  the  spirituality,  hu- 
mility, and  brotherly  love  that  prevailed  among  the 
Christians,  and  the  powerful  effects  of  their  public  or- 
dinances, demonstrated  that  the  truth  was  on  their  side, 
and  that  God  was  assuredly  with  them. 

We  offer  the  same  apology,  the  same  train  of  reason- 
ing, in  behalf  of  what  is  now  so  generally  deemed  the  fool- 
ishness of  preaching.  The  doctrines  we  defend,  which 
some,  (who  cannot  do  it  ignorantly,)  have  the  effrontery 
to  misrepresent  as  novel  opinions,  are,  we  doubt  not, 
the  doctrines  of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  and,  in  sub- 
stance, the  doctrines  taught  from  the  word  of  God,  by 
Wickliffe,  Luther,  and  the  venerable  reformers  of  our 

*  I  John  ii.  19. 


268  A  Revie:o  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  II. 

own  church.  We  preach  Christ  crucified,  Christ  the 
end  of  the  law  for  righteousness,  and  the  power  of  God 
for  sanctification,  to  every  one  that  believeth.  We 
preach  salvation  by  grace  through  faith  in  his  blood, 
and  we  are  sure  that  they  who  receive  this  doctrine 
unfeigncdly,  will,  by  their  lives  and  conversations,  de- 
monstrate it  to  be  a  doctrine  according  to  godliness. 
They  are  not  indeed  delivered  from  infirmities;  they  are 
liable  to  mistakes  and  indiscretions,  and  see  more  amiss 
in  themselves  than  their  worst  enemies  can  char^je  them 
with.  But  sin  is  their  burden;  they  sigh  to  be  delivered 
from  it,  and  they  expect  a  complete  redemption.  We 
cannot,  indeed,  say  so  much  for  all  who  outwardly  avow 
a  belief  of  this  doctrine :  there  are  pretenders,  who, 
while  they  profess  to  believe  in  God,  in  works  deny 
him ;  but  it  has  been  so  from  the  beginning.  The 
miscarriages  of  such  persons  are  charged  indiscrimi- 
nately upon  the  societies  among  whom  they  are  mixed, 
and  upon  the  truths  which  they  seem  to  approve  ;  but 
there  is  a  righteous  God,  who  in  due  time  will  vindi- 
cate his  own  Gospel  and  his  own  people  from  all  asper- 
sions. St.  Paul  observed  such  things  in  his  day,  and 
he  spoke  of  them  likewise,  but  he  spoke  of  them  weep- 
ing. The  true  state  of  the  mind  may  be  determined 
from  the  temper  with  which  the  miscarriages  of  pro- 
fessors are  observed.  The  profane  expatiate  on  them 
-with  delight,  the  self-righteous  with  disdain ;  but  they 
who  know  themselves  and  love  the  Lord,  cannot  speak 
of  them  without  the  sincerest  emotions  of  grief.  They 
are  concerned  for  the  honour  of  the  Gospel,  which  is 
defamed  under  this  pretence  ;  they  are  grieved  for  the 
unhappy  and  dangerous  state  of  those  by  whom  such 
offences  come ;  and  they  fear  for  themselves,  lest  the 
enemy  should  gain  an  advantage  over  them  likewise, 


Chap.  4.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  269 

for  they  know  they  have  no  strength  nor  goodness  of 
their  own.  Therefore,  avoiding  unnecessary  reflections 
on  others,  they  endeavour  to  maintain  a  watchful  jea- 
lousy over  themselves,  and  to  fix  their  hearts  and  hopes 
upon  Christ  Jesus  their  Lord ;  who,  they  are  persuaded, 
is  able  to  keep  them  from  falling,  to  save  them  to  the 
uttermost,  and  at  length  to  present  them  faultless  be- 
fore the  presence  of  his  glory  with  exceeding  joy. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Of  the  Heresies  propagated  bij  false  Teachers  in  the 
Apostles^  Days. 


T 


HE  parables  in  the  thirteenth  chapter  of  St.  Mat- 
thew are  prophetical  of  the  reception  and  event  of  the 
Gospel  in  succeeding  ages.  In  this  view  our  Lord 
himself  has  explained  them.  Wherever  it  is  preached, 
the  hearers  may  be  classed  according  to  the  distribu- 
tion in  the  parable  of  the  sower.  Some  hear  without 
understanding  or  reflection.  In  some  it  excites  a  hasty 
emotion  in  the  natural  affections,  and  produces  an  ob- 
servable and  sudden  change  in  their  conduct,  resem- 
bling the  eifects  of  a  real  conversion  to  God ;  but  the 
truth  not  being  rooted  in  the  heart,  nor  the  soul  united 
to  Christ  by  a  living  faith,  these  hopeful  appearances 
are,  sooner  or  later,  blasted  and  come  to  nothing. 
Others  are  really  convinced  in  their  judgment  of  the 
truth  and  importance  of  what  they  hear ;  but  their 
hearts  cleave  to  the  dust,  and  the  love  of  this  world, 
the  care  of  what  they  have,  the  desire  of  what  they 
have  not,  the  calls  of  business,  or  the  solicitations  of 


270  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  IF. 

pleasure,  choke  the  word  which  they  seem  to  receive, 
so  that  it  brings  forth  no  fruit  to  perfection.  A  part, 
however,  (usually  the  smallest  part,)  who  are  com- 
pared to  the  good  ground,  are  disposed  and  enabled, 
by  divine  grace,  to  receive  it  thankfully,  as  life  from 
the  dead  ;  and,  though  they  meet  with  many  difficulties, 
and,  like  the  corn  upon  the  ground,  pass  through  a 
succession  of  trying  and  changing  seasons,  yet,  having 
the  love,  promise,  and  power  of  God  engaged  on  their 
behalf,  in  defiance  of  frosts,  and  blasts,  and  storms, 
they  are  brought  to  maturity,  and  when  fully  ripe, 
are  safely  gathered  into  his  garner  *.  This  is  an 
epitome  of  the  ecclesiastical  history  of  every  nation, 
and  of  every  parish,  to  which  this  word  of  salvation  is 
sent. 

But  the  parable  of  the  tares  f  teaches  us  further  to 
expect,  that  besides  the  general  influence  which  Satan, 
as  the  god  of  this  world,  will  exert  to  blind  the  eyes  of 
mankind,  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gospel  should 
shine  upon  them;|;,  he  will  take  occasion,  from  the  know- 
ledge of  the  truth,  to  insinuate  a  variety  of  errors.  His 
first  attempts  in  this  way  are  often  so  specious  and  un- 
suspected, that  they  are  compared  to  a  man's  sowing 
seed  by  stealth  and  in  the  night,  but,  as  the  corn  grew, 
a  large  crop  of  tares  springing  up  with  it,  demonstrated 
that  an  enemy  had  been  there.  This,  in  fact  has  been 
universally  the  case,  in  every  country  and  age  where 
the  Gospel  has  been  received  ;  and  we  may  remark, 
that  the  sowing  the  good  seed  was  the  occasion  of  the 
tares  being  cast  into  the  same  ground.  When  a  peo- 
ple are  involved  in  gross  darkness  and  ignorance,  sleep- 
ing in  a  false  peace,  and  buried  in  the  pleasures  and 

*  Matt.  iii.  12.       t  Matt.  xiii.  24 — 30.       \  2  Cor.  iv  4. 


Cliap.  4.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Histdrjf.  371 

pursuits  of  the  world,  they  have  neither  leisure  nor  in- 
clination to  invent  or  attend  to  novelties  in  religion. 
Each  one  is  satisfied  with  that  form,  (if  even  the  form  of 
godliness  is  retained,)  which  he  has  received  from  his 
parents,  and  neither  pretends  nor  desires  to  be  wiser 
than  those  who  went  before  him.  But  when  the  truth 
has  shone  forth,  and  been  received,  and  seems  to  bid 
fair  for  further  success,  Satan  employs  all  his  power 
and  subtilty  either  to  suppress  or  counterfeit  it,  or  both. 
Much  has  been  done  in  the  former  way :  he  has  pre- 
vailed so  far  as  to  enkindle  the  fiercest  animosities 
against  the  nearest  relatives,  and  persuaded  men  that 
they  might  do  acceptable  service  to  God  by  punishing 
his  faithful  servants  with  torture,  lire,  and  sword*. 
And  no  less  industrious  and  successful  has  he  been  in 
practising  upon  the  passions  and  prejudices  of  mankind 
to  admit  and  propagate,  instead  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ, 
and  under  that  name,  an  endless  diversity  of  opinions, 
utterly  incompatible  with  it.  Of  these,  some  are  inge- 
nious and  artful,  adapted  to  gratify  the  pride  of  those 
who  are  wise  in  their  own  conceits ;  others  more  gross 
and  extravagant,  suited  to  inflame  the  imaginations, 
or  to  gratify  the  appetites  of  such  persons  as  have  not 
a  turn  for  speculation  and  refinement. 

As  these  appearances  have  always  accompanied  the 
Gospel,  so  they  have  always  been  a  stumbHng-block 
and  offence  to  the  world,  and  have  furnished  those  who 
hated  the  light  with  a  pretext  for  rejecting  it ;  and  the 
doctrines  of  truth  have  been  charged  as  the  source  and 
cause  of  those  errors,  which  have  only  sprung  from 
their  abuse  and  perversion.  When  popery,  for  a  series 
of  ages,  detained  mankind  in  darkness  and  bondage, 

*  John  xvi.  2. 


272  A  if w/tfty  6f  "Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  II. 

and  deprived  them  of  the  knowledge  of  the  holy  Scrip- 
tures, the  tide  of  error  ran    uniformly  in  one  great 
channel ;    when  dead  works  were    substituted  in  the 
place  of   living    faith,    and    the  worship    and    trust, 
which  is  due  only  to  Jesus  the  great  Mediator,  was 
blasphemously  directed  to  subordinate  intercessors,  to 
angels,  and  to  saints,  whether  real  or  pretended  ;  when 
forgiveness  of  sin  was  expected,  not  by  the  blood  of 
Christ,  but    by    penances,    pilgrimages,    masses,  and 
human  absolutions,  by  the  repetition  of  many  prayers, 
or  the  payment  of  sums  of  money  :  while  things  conti- 
nued thus,  the  world  was  generally  in  that  state  of  stu- 
pidity and  blind  security  which  is  miscalled  religious 
peace  and  uniformity ;    and  the  controversies  of  the 
times  were  chiefly  confined  to  those  points  which  imme- 
diately affected  the  power,  wealth,  or  pre-eminence  of 
the  several  religious  orders  by  whom  the  people  were 
implicitly  led.     Some  differences  of  opinion  were  in- 
deed known ;  but  the  charge  of  heresy  and  dangerous 
innovations  was  seldom  so  much  as  pretended  against 
any,  but  the  few  who  refused  to  wear  the  mark  of  the 
beast  upon  their  right  hands  and  foreheads,  and  who, 
by  the  mercy  of  God,  retained  and  professed  the  main 
truths  of  Christianity  in  some  degree  of  power  and  pu- 
rity.   But  when  it  pleased  God  to  revive  the  knowledge 
of  the  Gospel,  by  the  ministry  of  Luther  and  his  asso- 
ciates, and  many  were  turned  from  darkness  to  light, 
the  enemy  of  mankind  presently  changed  his  methods, 
and,  by  his  influence,  the  sowing  of  the  good  seed  was 
followed  by  tares  in  abundance.    In  the  course  of  a  iew 
years  the  glory  of  the  Reformation  was  darkened,  and 
its  progress  obstructed,  by  the  enthusiasm  and  infatua- 
tion of  men,  who,  under  a  pretence  of  improving  upon 
Luther's  plan,  propagated  the  wildest,  most  extrava- 


Chap.  4.        A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  273 

gant  and  blasphemous  opinions,  and  perpetrated,  under 
the  mask  of  religion,  such  acts  of  cruelty,  villany,  and 
licentiousness,  as  have  been  seldom  heard  of  in 
the  world.  The  Papists  beheld  thes6  excesses  with 
pleasure.  Many  of  them  could  not  but  know  that  Lu- 
ther and  the  heads  of  the  Reformation  did  all  that  could 
be  expected  from  them,  to  show  the  folly  and  iniquity  of 
such  proceedings  ;  but,  against  the  light  of  truth  and 
fact,  they  laboured  to  persuade  the  world  that  these 
were  the  necessary  consequences  of  Luther's  doctrine, 
and  that  no  better  issue  could  be  justly  hoped  for  when 
men  presumed  to  depart  from  the  authorized  standards  '^ 
of  popes  and  councils,  and  to  read  and  examine  the 
Scripture  for  themselves. 

This  religious  madness  was,  however,  of  no  long  du- 
ration. The  people  who  held  tenets  inconsistent  with 
the  peace  of  society,  were  deservedly  treated  as  rebels 
and  incendiaries  by  the  governing  powers  :  the  ring- 
leaders were  punished,  and  the  multitudes  dispersed ; 
their  most  obnoxious  errors  were  gradually  abandoned, 
and  are  now  in  a  manner  forgot.  After  the  peace  of 
Passau,  the  Reformation  acquired  an  establishment  in 
Germany  and  other  places  ;  and  since  that  time,  error 
has  assumed  a  milder  form,  and  has  been  supported  by 
softer  methods  and  more  respectable  names. 

In  our  own  country  the  same  spirit  of  enthusiasm 
and  disorder  has  appeared  at  different  times,  (though  it 
has  been  restrained,  by  the  providence  of  God,  from 
proceeding  to  the  same  extremities,)  and  has  been  most 
notorious  when,  or  soon  after,  the  power  of  Gospel 
truth  has  been  most  eminently  revived ;  for,  as  I  have 
already  observed,  when  religion  is  upon  the  decline, 
and  only  so  much  of  a  profession  retained  as  is  consist- 
ent with  the  love  of  the  present  world,  and  a  conformity 

Vol.  III.  2  N 


274  A  Reviews  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  II. 

to  the  maxims  and  practices  of  the  many,  we  seldom 
hear  of  any  errors  prevailing,  but  such  as  will  find  a  fa- 
vourable toleration,  and  may  be  avowed  without  exciting 
very  strong  and  general  expressions  of  contempt  and 
ill-will  against  those  who  maintain  them.  But  whenever 
real  religion,  as  a  life  of  faith  in  the  Son  of  God,  is  set 
forth  upon  the  principles  of  Scripture,  and  by  the  ope- 
ration of  the  Holy  Spirit  witnesses  are  rasied  up,  who, 
by  their  conduct,  demonstrate  that  they  are  crucified 
with  Christ,  to  the  law,  to  sin,  and  to  the  world,  then 
is  the  time  for  Satan  to  discredit  this  work,  by  impos- 
ing a  variety  of  false  views  and  appearances  upon  the 
minds  of  the  ignorant  and  unwary  ;  and  he  is  seldom  at 
a  loss  for  fit  instruments  to  promote  his  designs.  Since 
the  late  revival  of  the  Reformation-doctrines  amongst  us, 
ive  have,  perhaps,  fewer  things  of  this  kind  to  apolo- 
gize for  than  have  been  observable  on  any  similar  occa- 
sion ;  and  the  best  apology  we  can  offer  for  what  has 
been  really  blamcable,  is,  to  show  that  it  was  even  thus 
in  the  apostles'  days  ;  and  that,  if  any  arguments  taken 
from  these  blemishes  are  conclusive  against  what  some 
choose  to  call  the  novel  doctrines  now,  they  would, 
with  equal  reason,  conclude  against  the  validity  of  the 
New  Testament. 

And,  not  to  confine  myself  to  such  things  as  the  world 
is  most  prone  to  except  against,  I  shall  endeavour  to 
show  that  the  seeds  of  all  errors  and  heresies,  the 
fashionable,  as  well  as  those  which  are  more  generally 
despised,  were  sown  in  the  first  age,  and  appeared  so 
early  as  to  give  occasion  lor  the  apostles'  censures 
against  them.  I  do  not  mean  by  this  to  parallel  every 
name  and  every  singularity  that  a  subtle  head  or  a  warm 
imagination  may  have  started  ;  but  to  assign,  in  general, 
the  priJiciples  to  which  all  these  delusions  may  be  re- 


Chap.  4.         A  Rcvieio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  275 


duced,  the  sources  to  which  these  inebriating  and  dan-  „ ; 
gerous  streams  raay  be  traced  :  for,  indeed,  the  opera- 
tions of  the  human  mind  seem  to  be  much  more  simple 
and  limited  than  we  are  ordinarily  aware.     As  there 
can  be  no  new  truths,  though  every  truth  appears  new 
to  us  which  we  have  not  known  before,  so  it  is  proba- 
ble that  there  can  be  now  no  new  errors ;  at  least  it  is 
certain  that  a  competent  knowledge  of  antiquity,  or  even 
a  careful  perusal  of  the  apostles'  writings,  will  furnish 
sufficient  evidence,   that  some    modern    authors    and 
teachers  are  by  no  means,  the  inventors  of  the  inge- 
nious schemes   they    have    presented    to    the    public. 
Truth,   like    the    sun,    maintains  a  constant    course; 
every  thing  would  stagnate  and  die  if  we  Mere  deprived 
of  it  for  a  single  day.      But  errors  are  like  comets, 
which,  though  too  eccentric  to  be  subject  exactly  to 
our  computations,  yet  have  their  periods  of  approach 
and  recess ;    and  some  of  them  have  appeared  and 
been  admired,  have  been  withdrawn  and  forgot,  over 
and  over  again. 

Error,  in  the  simplest  form,  is  a  misapprehension  of 
the  truth.  Some  part  of  the  Gospel  must  be  known  be- 
fore any  erroneous  conceptions  of  it  can  take  place. 
Thus  we  read  *,  that  Simon  Magus  was  struck  with 
Philip's  preaching,  and  the  effects  which  attended  it. 
He  was  so  far  impressed,  that,  it  is  said,  he  believed, 
that  is,  he  made  a  profession  of  faith ;  he  was  con- 
vinced there  was  something  extraordinary  in  the  doc- 
trine, but  he  understood  it  not :  and  the  event  showed 
he  had  no  part  nor  lot  in  the  matter.  He  is  thought  by 
the  ancients  to  have  been  the  founder  of  that  capital 
sect  which  Is  known  in  general  by  the  name  of  the 

*  Acts  viii.  9 — 22, 


2T6  A  Review  of  Ecclesiaslical  Hislori/.        Book  II. 

Gnostics,  and  which,  like  a  gangrene,  spread  far  and 
wide  in  various  branches  and  subdivisions,  each  suc- 
cessive bead  refining  upon  the  system  of  the  preceding. 
In  Sir  Peter  King's  History  of  the  Apostles'  Creed,  and 
Mosheim's  Ecclesiastical  History,  the  English  reader 
may  see  the  substance  of  the  figments  which  these  un- 
happy men,  wise  in  their  own  conceit,  vented  under 
the  name  of  the  Christian  religion. 

The  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  him  crucified, 
which  St.  Paul  preached,  and  in  which  he  gloried,  is 
the  pillar  and  ground  of  truth,  the  rock  upon  which  the 
church  is  built,  and  against  which  the  gates  of  hell  shall 
never  prevail*.  Mistakes  in  this  point  are  fundamental, 
dangerous,  and,  if  persisted  in,  destructive ;  for,  as 
such  a  knowledge  of  God  as  is  connected  with  his  fa- 
vour and  communion  is  eternal  life,  so  none  can  come 
to  the  Father  but  by  the  Son  f,  nor  can  any  know  him 
but  those  to  whom  the  Son  will  reveal  him  J.  On 
this  account  Satan's  great  endeavour,  (and  on  his 
success  herein  the  strength  of  his  kingdom  depends,)  is 
to  darken  and  pervert  the  minds  of  men,  lest  they 
should  acknowledge  and  understand  what  the  Scripture 
declares  of  his  person,  characters,  and  offices,  as  well 
knowing,  that  if  these  are  set  aside,  whatever  else  is 
left  of  religion  will  be  utterly  unavailing.  Jesus  Christ 
is  revealed  in  the  Scripture,  and  was  preached  by  his 
first  disciples,  as  God  manifest  in  the  flesh,  a  divine 
person  in  the  human  nature ;  who,  by  submitting  to 
ignominy,  pain,  and  death,  made  a  full  and  proper 
atonement  for  sin,  and  wrought  out  an  everlasting 
righteousness  in  favour  of  all  who  should  believe  in  his 

*   I  Cor.  ii.  2.;  Gal.  vi.  14.;   1  Thn.  iii.  15.;  Matth.  xvi.  18. 
t  John  xvii.  3.;  xiv.  6.  :j;  Matth.  xi.  27. 


Gliap.  4.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History*  277 

name ;  and  he  is  set  forth  in  that  nature,  in  which  he 
suffered,  as  the  ohject  of  our  supreme  love,  trust,  and 
adoration.     Other  important  doctrines,  largely  insisted 
on  in  the  word  of  God,  such  as  the  demerit  of  sin,  the 
obnoxiousness  of  sinners  to  punishment,  and  the  mi- 
sery and  incapacity  of  man  in  his  fallen  state,  are  closely 
connected  with  this,  and  cannot  be  satisfactorily  ex- 
plained without  it.     The  necessary  method  of  our  re- 
covery exhibits  the  most  striking  view  of  the  ruin  in 
which  sin  has  involved  us,  and  is  the  only  adequate 
standard  whereby  to  estimate  the  unspeakable  love  of 
God  manifested  in  our  redemption.    On  the  other  hand, 
a  knovvledge  of  the  true  state  of  mankind,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  fall,  is  necessary  to  obviate  the  preju- 
dices of  our  minds  against  a  procedure  which,  though 
in  itself  the  triumph  of  divine  wisdom,   is,  in  many 
respects,  contradictory  to  our  natural,  (and  therefore 
false,)  notions  of  the  fitness  of  things.     St.  Paul  de- 
clares*, "  that  the  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things 
"  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  neither  can  he  discern  them  ;'* 
and  in  another  place f,  "  that  no  man  can  say,"  that  is, 
sincerely  and  upon  solid  conviction,  "  that  Jesus  is  the 
"  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost."     To  worship  him  who 
had  been  hanged  upon  a  cross,   and  to  expect  eternal 
happiness  from  his  death,  was  to  the  Jews  a  stumbling- 
block  ;  it  offended  their  notions  of  the  unity  of  the 
Godhead,  and  opposed  their  high  esteem  of  their  own 
righteousness ;  and  to  the  Greeks  or  Heathens  it  ap- 
peared  the  greatest    folly  and  absurdity  imaginable. 
For  these  reasons  the  Gospel   was  rejected  by  multi- 
tudes as  soon  as  proposed,  and  those  who  preached  it 
were  accounted  babblers  and  madmen ;  not  because 

*  1  Cor.  ii.  14.  t  1  Cor.  xii.  3. 


378  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  THsiori/.        Book  11. 

they  were  at  a  loss  for  propriety  of  expression,  or  dis- 
covered any  thing  ridiculous  in  their  conduct,  but  be- 
cause they  enforced  tenets  uhich  were  adjudged  incon- 
sistent with  the  common  sense  of  mankind. 

But,  notwithstanding  these  prejudices,  tlie  energy  of 
their  preaching,  and  the  miraculous  powers  with  which 
it  was  accompanied,  made  an   impression  upon  many 
persons,  so  far  as  to  induce  them   to  profess  the  name 
of  Jesus,  though  they  vvere  not  spiritually  enlightened 
into  the  mysteries  of  his  religion,  nor  their  hearts  tho- 
roughly subdued  to  the  obedience  of  the  faith.     There 
are  other  points,  within  the  compass  of  the(jospel  mi- 
nistry, more  adapted  to  affect  the  minds  of  men  in  their 
natural  state.     Few  are  so   hardened  but  they  have  a 
conscience  of  sin,  some  fears  with  respect  to  its  conse- 
quences, and  a  pre-intimatioh  of  immortality.    Such  are 
capable  of  being  greatly  affected  and  moved,  by  a  pa- 
thetic declaration  of  the  terrors  of  the   Lord,  the  so- 
lemnities of  a  future  judgment,  the  joys  of  heaven,  or 
the  torments  of  hell.     We  cannot  doubt  that  these  to- 
pics, when  insisted  on  with  that  strength  of  ariiument 
and  warmth  of  spirit  of  which  the  apostles  were  capa- 
ble, would  engage  the  attention  of  many  who  were  not 
partakers  of  that  divine  light  by  which  alone  the  whole 
scheme  of  truth,  in  its  harmony  and  beauty,  can  be  per- 
ceived.    The  seed  sown  upon  the  rock  sprang  up  im- 
mediately ;  the  quickness  of  its  growth,   and  the  sud- 
denness of  its  decay,  proceeding  from  the  same  cause, 
a  want  of  depth  in  the  soil.     Not  a  few  of  these  hasty 
believers  presently  renounced  the  faith  altogether  ;  and 
others,  who  went  not  so  far  as  to  disown  the  name,  en- 
deavoured to  accommodate  the  doctrine  to  their  pre- 
possessions, and  to  explain  or  reject   what  they  could 
not  understand  in  such  a  manner  as  to  form  a  system 


Chap.  4.  A  Revieiv  of  "Ecclesiastical      istory.  27# 

upon  the  whole  agreeable  to  their  own  wills.  Men  of  cor- 
rupt and  prejudiced  minds  thus  tampered  with  the  truth^ 
and  their  inventions,  when  made  knoun,  were  adopted 
by  others  of  the  same  cast  of  thought.  As  they  were 
differently  inclined,  they  directed  their  inquiries  to  dif- 
ferent points,  and  each  found  partisans  and  adherents 
in  their  respective  ways.  Thus  errors,  and,  in  conse- 
quence, sects  and  divisions,  were  multiplied  ;  for  when 
men  depart  from  the  unerring  guidance  of  God's  word, 
there  is  no  end  of  their  imaginations  ;  one  singularity 
produces  another,  and  every  new  leader  is  stimulated 
to  carry  his  discoveries  further  than  those  who  have 
gone  before  him.  Further,  as  human  nature  is  univer- 
sally the  same,  we  may  judge,  from  what  we  have 
.seen  that  there  always  have  been  persons  inclined  to 
join  in  a  religious  profession,  from  the  unworthy  mo- 
tives of  worldly  interest,  and  a  desire  to  stand  fair  with 
their  fellow-creatures.  Temptations  to  this  were  not 
so  strong  indeed  at  first,  nor  so  general  as  they  have 
often  been  since  ;  yet  the  force  of  friendship,  relation, 
(and  when  Christianity  had  been  of  some  years'  stand- 
ing,) education,  custom,  and  human  authority,  is  very 
considerable.  Nor  is  even  persecution  a  sufficient  bar 
against  hypocrites  and  intruders.  They  who  suffer  for 
the  Gospel,  though  despised  by  the  world,  are  highly 
esteemed  and  considered  by  their  own  side  :  it  procures 
them  an  attention  which  they  would  not  have  otherwise 
obtained  :  it  may  give  them  an  importance  in  their  own 
eyes,  furnish  them  with  something  to  talk  of,  and  makC' 
them  talked  ol  by  others.  There  are  people  who,  for 
the  sake  ot  these  advantages,  Nvill,  for  a  season,  ven- 
ture upon  many  hardships;  though  when  the  trial 
comes  very  close,  they  will  not  endure  to  the  end.  Iq 
a  word,  there  is  no  reason  to  douiit  but  that  amongst 


286  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.        Book  II, 

the  numbers  who  professed  the  Gospel  at  first,  there 
would  be  found  the  same  variety  of  tempers,  circum- 
stances, views,  and  motives,  as  have  ordinarily  ap- 
peared ainongst  a  great  number  of  people,  suddenly 
formed  in  any  other  period  of  time ;  and  the  apostles* 
writings  prove  that  it  was  really  so.  From  these  gene- 
ral principles  we  may  easily  account  for  the  early  intro- 
duction and  increase  of  errors  and  heresies,  and  that 
they  should  be  in  a  manner  the  same  as  have  sprung 
up  with,  or  followed,  succeeding  revivals  of  the  truth. 
Nor  is  it  just  cause  of  surprise,  if  sincere  Christians 
have  been,  in  some  instances,  entangled  in  the  prevail- 
ing errors  of  the  times.  Designing  no  harm  themselves, 
they  suspect  none ;  and  are  therefore  liable  to  be  im- 
posed on  by  those  who  lie  in  wait  to  deceive*. 

When  Christianity  first  appeared,  the  Heathen  wis- 
dom, known  by  the  name  of  philosophy,  was  in  the 
highest  repute.  It  had  two  principal  branches,  the  Gre- 
cian and  the  Eastern.  The  former  admitted,  (at  least 
did  not  condemn,)  a  multiplicity  and  subordination  of 
deities ;  amongst  whom,  as  agents  and  mediators  be- 
tween their  supreme  Jupiter  and  mortals,  the  care  and 
concerns  of  mankind  were  subdivided  ;  to  each  of  which 
homage  and  sacrifices  were  due.  Their  mythology,  or 
the  pretended  history  of  their  divinities,  was  puerile 
and  absurd  ;  and  many  of  their  religious  rites  inconsist- 
ent with  the  practice  of  public  decorum  and  good  mo- 
rals. Some  of  the  philosophers  endeavoured  to  guard 
against  the  worst  abuses,  and  to  form  a  system  of  reli- 
gion and  mbrality,  in  which  they  seem  to  have  pro- 
ceeded as  far  as  could  be  expected  from  men  who  were 
totally   ignorant  of  the  true  God,   and  of  their  own 

*   Ephcs.  iv.  14. 


Chap.  4.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History,  281 

state.  Some  truths  they  were  acquainted  with  ;  truths 
in  theory,  but  utterly  impracticable  upon  any  principles 
but  those  of  revelation.  Amongst  a  vast  number  of 
opinions  concerning  the  chief  good  of  man,  a  few  held, 
that  man's  honour  and  happiness  must  consist  in  con- 
formity to  and  communion  with  God ;  but  how  to  at- 
tain these  desirable  ends,  they  w  ere  entirely  ignorant. 

The  Eastern  philosophy  was  solemn  and  mysterious ; 
not  less  fabulous  than  the  other,  but  the  fables  were  of 
a  graver  cast.  It  seemed  to  mourn  under  the  sense  of 
moral  evil,  and  laboured  in  vain  to  account  for  its  en- 
trance. Its  precepts  were  gloomy  and  severe,  and  a 
perfect  course  of  bodily  mortification  was  recommended, 
as  the  great  expedient  to  purify  the  soul  from  all  its  de- 
filements, and  to  re- unite  it,  by  degrees,  to  its  great 
Author. 

St.  Paul,  in  several  passages*,  cautions  the  Chris- 
tains  against  corrupting  the  simplicity  of  their  faith,  by 
admitting  the  reasonings  and  inventions  of  vain  men. 
In  some  places)'  he  seems  to  speak  more  directly  of  the 
Gnostics,  whose  heresies  were  little  more  than  the  fables 
of  the  Eastern  philosophy  in  a  new  dress,  with  an  acknow- 
ledgment of  Jesus  Christ  as  an  extraordinary  person, 
yet  so  as  utterly  to  exclude  and  deny  all  the  important 
truths  revealed  in  Scripture  concerning  him.  Tliey  dig- 
nified their  scheme  with  the  name  of  Gnosis,  or  science; 
but  it  was  falsely  so  called,  and  stood  in  direct  opposi- 
tion to  the  Gospel.  On  other  occasions^  he  appears  to 
have  had  the  Grecian  philosophy  chiefly  in  view.  But, 
notwithstanding  his  admonitions,  it  was  not  long  before 
tlie  errors  of  philosophy  had  an  ill  influence  upon  the 

*  Coloss.  ii.  8. ;   1  Tim.  vi.  20.  f   1  Tim.  i.  4.  j  Tit.  iii.  o 

^  Romi.  21. — 23.;   1  Cor.  i.  20 — 23. 

Vor.  III.  2  O 


:28si  A  Rcvitw  of  Ecclesiastical  Hintorif.         Book  II. 

professors  of  the  Christian  faith ;  and  even  several  of 
the  fathers  darkened  the  glory  of  the  truth,  by  endea- 
vouring to  accommodate  it  to  the  taste  and  genius  of 
that  Heathen  wisdom  which  they  had  before  admired, 
and  still  thought  might  be  useful  to  embellish  and  re- 
commend the  Gospel. 

But,  to  confine  myself  to  the  apostles'  times,  it  is 
plain,  from  the  epistles  of  St.  Paul,  John,  Jude,  and 
Peter*,  that  many  false  prophets  and  teachers  had,  in 
their  days,  crept  in,  who  propagated  damnable  here- 
sies, even  denying  the  Lord  who  bought  them,  turn- 
ing the  grace  of  God  into  licentiousness,  speaking  great 
swelling  words  of  vanity,  boasting  themselves  of  free- 
dom while  they  were  in  bondage  to  their  own  lusts. 
And,  in  the  epistle  to  the  church  of  Ephesusf,  our 
Lord  himself  mentions  a  sect  who  bore  the  name  of 
Nicolaitans,  and  expresses  his  disapprobation  of  them 
in  those  awful  terms,  "  Whom  I  also  hate."  The  pe- 
culiar tenets  of  the  people  condemned  in  these  passages 
of  Scripture  are  not  expressly  mentioned  :  but  from 
these  sources  were,  most  probably,  derived  the  sects 
which,  in  the  second  century,  were  known  by  the 
names  of  their  several  leaders  Cerinthus,  Saturninus, 
Cerdo,  Marcion,  Basilides,  Valentinus,  and  others ; 
who  all,  building  upon  the  common  foundation  of  the 
Eastern  philosophy,  or  Gnosis,  superadded  their  own 
peculiarities,  and  were  differently,  though  equally,  re- 
mote from  the  truth.  The  one  thing  in  which  they  all 
agreed  was  in  perverting  and  opposing  the  Scripture- 
doctrine*  concerning  the  person  of  Christ.  On  this 
point  their  opinions  were  as  discordant  as  absurd.  Some 

*  Titus  i.  10. ;  1  John  iv.  1. ;  2  Pet.  ii.  18,  19. ;  Jude  4, 
t  Rev.  ii.  6. 


Cliap.  4.         A  Revieioof  Ecchsiastkal  His'orjj.  283 

denied  that  Christ  was  come  in  the  flesh ;  they  pre- 
tended that  Christ  was  sent  from  heaven  by  the  Su- 
preme God,  and  united  himself  to  Jesus,  the  son  of 
Joseph  and  Mary,  at  his  baptism ;  and  that,  when  the 
Jews  apprehended  the  man  Jesus,  and  nailed  him  to 
the  cross,  Christ  returned  to  heaven,  and  left  him  to 
suffer  by  himself  Others  ascribed  a  heavenly  derivation 
to  his  body,  affirming  that  it  passed  through  the  Vir- 
gin Mary  without  any  participation  of  her  substance  ; 
while  others  asserted  that  he  had  no  substantial  flesh, 
but  that  his  body  was  a  mere  phantom,  or  apparition, 
which  was  neither  really  born,  nor  did  nor  could  truly 
suffer.  Again,  there  were  others  who  held  the  reality 
of  his  human  nature,  yet  maintained  that  Christ  did  not 
suffer  at  all ;  but  that  Simon  of  Cyrene,  (the  bearer  of 
his  cross,)  being  taken  by  the  Jews  for  him,  was  cruci- 
fied in  his  stead,  while  he  stood  by  and  laughed  at  their 
mistake.  A  brief  recital  of  these  extravagances  is  suf- 
ficient for  my  present  purpose.  For  a  more  particular 
account,  I  refer  the  reader  to  Sir  Peter  King's  History 
of  the  Creed,  already  mentioned.  Many  passages  in 
the  apostles'  writings  are  directed  against  these  danger- 
ous errors ;  for  they  strike  at  the  root  of  the  faith  and 
hope  of  the  Gospel,  and  are  subversive  of  the  whole 
tenour  both  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament.  It  was 
believed  by  the  ancients,  that  St.  John  wrote  his  Gos- 
pel with  some  view  to  these  heresies  ;  and  it  is  certain 
that  in  his  first  Epistle,  where,  (putting  the  disciples 
upon  their  guard  against  the  many  false  prophets  who 
were  gone  out  into  the  world,)  he  observes  that  the 
common  point,  in  which  all  their  divers  opinions  a [^reed, 
was  a  denial  that  Jesus  Christ  was  come  in  the  flesh*; 

•    I  John  ii.  22. ;  iv.  v- 


284  A  lievteio  of  Ecclesiastical  History,        Book  II- 

he  reminds  them  that,  as  they  had  heard  antichrist 
must  come,  even  so  now  there  were  many  antichrists, 
and  that  the  name  was  applicable  to  all  who  denied 
that  Jesus  is  the  Christ.  He  admits  that  these  false 
teachers  went  out  from  amongst  themselves,  that  is, 
they  had  borne  the  Christian  name ;  but  he  refers  to 
the  doctrines  they  taught,  as  a  sufficient  proof  that  they 
had  never  beenof  the  number  of  true  Christians;  "for  if 
"  they  had  been  of  us,  no  doubt  they  would  have  conti- 
"  nued  with  us*."  If  opinions,  equally  wild  and  extra- 
vagant, were  at  this  time  maintained  and  propagated  by 
persons  who,  for  a  season,  had  been  warm  for  truth 
and  reformation,  we  are  not  afraid  that  they  would  pre- 
judice our  cause  with  any  who  will  allow  due  weight  to 
the  reasoning  of  St.  John  ;  for  if  they  had  been  really 
of  us  once,  they  would  have  still  continued  with  us. 

Bat  the  truth  is,  the  teachers  in  our  time  whose 
leading  tenets  most  nearly  symbolize  with  these  ancient 
heresies,  are  not  charged,  or  even  suspected,  of  hav- 
ing had  any  attachment  to  the  doctrines  which  I  am 
concerned  to  vindicate ;  nor  is  an  apology  expected 
from  them,  for  they  give  but  little  offence.  Since  the 
fabulous  disguise  under  which  the  Gnostics  of  old 
veiled  their  opinions  has  been  laid  aside,  their  opposi- 
tion to  the  deity  and  atonement  of  Christ  has  been 
adopted  by  so  many  who  are  applauded  for  ingenuity, 
fine  reasoning,  and  great  learning,  that  it  bids  fair  to  be 
the  fashionable  divinity  of  the  age ;  and  though  the  suf- 
ferings of  Jesus  are  not  denied,  yet  their  proper  causes 
and  ends  are  openly  exploded,  and  the  attempt  has 
often  proved  an  easy  path  to  acceptance,  wealth,  and 
dignity. 

*  1  John  ii.  19. 


Chap.  4.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  285 

The  attachment  of  the  Jewish  converts  to  the  law  of 
Moses  was  another  source  of  error,  which  occasioned 
daily  disputes  in  the  churches,  and   gave  rise,  in  the 
issue,   to  dangerous  heresies,  subversive  of  the  true 
faith.     Even  those  of  them,  who  had  sincerely  received 
the  Gospel,  could  not  easily  be  persuaded  that  a  law, 
given  to  INIoses  by  God  himself,   with  so  much  solem- 
nity, from  mount  Sinai,  was  to  be  entirely  abrogated, 
and  that  their  obligation  to  it  was  ipso  facto^  vacated 
the  moment  they  believed  in  Jesus ;  who,   by  his  obe- 
dience unto  death,  had  accomplished  all  its  types  and 
ceremonies,  and  wrought  out  for  his  people  an  ever- 
lasting righteousness  commensurate  to  its  utmost  re- 
quirements.    The  apostles,   who,  after  the  pattern  of 
their  Lord,  were  gentle  and  tender  to  the  weak  of  the 
flock,  bore  with  their  infirmities*,  and  allowed  them  to 
retain  a  distinction  of  meats  and  days,  and  other  observ- 
ances, provided  they  did  not  consider  these  things  in 
such  a  point  of  view,   as  to  interfere  with  God's  ap- 
pointed method  of  justification  by  faith  in  his  Son.    But 
the  matter  was  carried  much  further ;  for  no  sooner 
was  there  a  church  formed  at  Antioch,  than  they  were 
troubled  with  perverse  teachers,  who  told  them  "  thatj 
"  except  they  were  circumcised  and  kept  the  law  of 
"  Moses,  they  could  not  be  savedf."     The  Galatians 
were  greatly  hurt  by  teachers  of  this  sortj  ;  and,  as  the 
Jews  were  dispersed  through  all   the  provinces,  the 
peace   of  the  church  was  more  or  less   affected   by 
their  attempts  to  enforce  the  observance  of  the  law,  in 
almost  every  place,  till  after  the   Epistle  to  the  He- 
brews was  received,  and  obedience  to  the  Levitical  law 
rendered  impracticable  by  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem 

*  Rom.  xiv.  2 — 6.  t  Acts  xv.  I.  \  Gal.  v.  4. 


28G  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  Djok  11. 

and  the  temple*.  From  that  period,  it  is  probable,  the 
distinction  of  Jew  and  Gentile  believers  ceased,  and 
both  parties  were  firmly  incorporated  into  one  body ; 
but  a  great  number  of  the  zealots  for  the  law  separated 
themselves,  and  were  known  in  the  following  age  by 
the  name  of  Ebionites,  adopting  for  their  rule  a  mix- 
ture of  law  and  Gospel,  so  very  different  from  the 
Gospel  St.  Paul  preached,  that  they  openly  expressed 
an  abhorrence  both  of  his  person  and  writings. 

We  have  an  account  likewise  of  some  pretended 
teachers,  who  opposed  the  important  doctrine  of  the 
Resurrection.  Some  expressly  maintained  that  there 
was  no  resurrection^  ;  whom  St.  Paul  confutes  at  large 
in  his  first  epistle  to  the  Corinthians.  Others  affirmed 
the  resurrection  is  passed  already;];.  Perhaps  they 
pretended  that  a  moral  change  was  designed  by  the 
metaphorical  expression  of  a  resurrection  ;  the  philoso- 
phers had  used  the  word  in  this  sense ;  and  this  would 
be  sufficient  to  gain  it  admittance  with  some,  who  would 
willingly  reconcile  their  profession  to  the  wisdom  of  the 
world.  In  either  way,  the  very  foundations  of  hope  were 
removed.  If  this  point  is  denied,  the  whole  system  of 
Christian  doctrine  falls  to  the  ground,  and  that  dread- 
ful train  of  consequences  must  be  admitted,  which  the 
apostle  enumerates^ :  "  If  there  be  no  resurrection  of 
"  the  dead,  then  is  Christ  not  risen,  then  is  our  preach- 
"  ing  vain  and  your  faith  also  vain,  ye  are  yet  in  your 
"  sins ;  then  they  also  who  are  fallen  asleep  in  Christ 
*'  are  perished."  Since  the  fertile  resurrection  of  an- 
cient mistakes,  which  is  the  sin  and  scandal  of  the 
present  age,  we  have  been  gravely  told,  that  the  word 

*  Col.  ii.  16. ;  Tit.  i.  10. ;  Phil.  iii.  2. ;   1  Tim.  i,  7. 

t  I  Cor.  XV.  12.        X  2  Tim.  ii.  18.         §  I  Cor.  xv.  14—18. 


Ch;;p.  4.         A.  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Hiatory.  287 

signifies  no  more  than  the  soul's  awaking  from  the  long 
sleep  into  which  they  suppose  the  period  we  call  Death 
will  plunge  it ;  and  that  the  body  has  no  share  in  the 
revival,  but  dies  without  hope.  But  we  may  thank 
God  for  the  Scripture,  which  brings  comfort  where 
philosophy  gives  up  the  cause  as  desperate.  Faith  in 
Christ  is  so  closely  connected  with  the  doctrine  of  a 
resurrection,  that  it  is  common  with  those  who  oppose 
the  former,  to  use  all  their  address  to  explain  the  latter 
quite  away ;  and  whether  they  say  it  is  past  already, 
or  it  will  never  come,  their  motives,  their  design,  and 
their  manner  of  reasoning  are  the  same. 

That  there  were  persons  who  abused  the  doctrines 
of  grace,  as  an  encouragement  to  continue  in  the  prac- 
tice of  sin,  may  be  inferred  from  the  Epistle  of  St. 
James,  and  several  passages  of  the  other  apostles. 
Such,  in  our  modern  phrase,  are  styled  Antinomians ;  a 
name,  it  must  be  confessed,  of  very  indeterminate  ap- 
plication ;  it  is  an  epithet  which  many  would  fix  indis- 
criminately upon  all  who  preach  a  free  salvation  by 
faith  in  the  blood  of  Jesus.  "  If  it  is  all  of  grace,  and 
"  we  can  do  nothing  of  ourselves,  if  it  is  not  of  him  that 
"  willeth  nor  of  him  that  runneth,  but  of  God  that 
"  showeth  mercy ;  then  we  may  live  as  we  please,  en- 
"  deavours  are  useless,  and  obedience  unnecessary*." 
These  are  the  inferences  which  the  unenlightened  heart 
charges  as  unavoidable  consequences  from  the  Gospel 
doctrine :  and  from  hence  we  obtain  a  corroboratinff 
proof,  that  we  do  not  mistake  St.  Paul's  sense,  or 
preach  a  Gospel  different  from  his,  because  he  foresaw 
that  the  same  objections  would  seem  to  lie  against  j 

*  Rom.  xi.  6.;  2  Cor.  iii.  5  ;  Rom.  ix.  16. 
t  Rom.  iii.  7.;  ix>.   19. 


288  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History,         Book  II. 

himself,  and  he  guards  and  protests  against  such  a  per- 
version*,  "  Shall  we  continue  in  sin  that  grace  may 
"  abound  ?  God  forbid  !"     It  seems  to  have  been  upon 
this  account  that  he  was  slandered,  and  by  some  af- 
firmed to  have  taught,  '"  Let  us  do  evil,  that  good  may 
"  comet," — that  is,  in  modern  language,  (and   such 
things  are  not  spoken  in  corners  amongst  us,)  "  If  any 
"  man  uould  be  a  proper  subject  of  what  they  call 
"  Grace,  let  him  become  still  more  vile,  and  plunge 
"  into  the  most  atrocious  wickedness,  for  the  greater 
"  the  sinner  the  better  qualified  for  mercy."     We  are 
content  to  be  reproached,  (as  St.  Paul  was  in  his  time,) 
for  the  truth's  sake  ;  and  we  would  be  chiefly  concerned 
for  the  unhappy  scoffers,   who,  unless  God  is  pleased 
to  give  them  repentance  unto  life,  will  one  day  wish 
they  had  been  idiots  or  lunatics,  rather  than  have  vented 
their  malicious  wit  against  the  grace  and  Gospel  of  the 
Lord  Christ.     But  it  must  be  allowed  we  have  seen 
Antinomians  in  the  worst  sense  of  the  word,  men  who 
have  pleaded  for  sin,  and,  while  they  have  laid  claim 
to  faith,  have  renounced  and  blasphemed  that  holiness 
without  which  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord.     We  cannot 
wonder  that  even  candid  and  well-meaning  persons  have 
been  greatly  prejudiced,  and  discouraged  in  their  in- 
quiries after  truth,  by  the  presumption  and  wickedness 
of  such   pretended  Christians.     But  no  period  of  the 
church,  in  which  the  Gospel  doctrine  was  known  and 
preached,  has  been  free  from  offences  of  this  sort.     It 
was  so  in  the  apostles'  days,     *'  There  were  then  many 
"  unruly  and  vain  talkers  and  deceivers,  who  subverted 
"  whole  houses,  teaching  things  which  they  ought  notj ; 
"  who  professed  that  they  knew  God,  but  in  works 

**  Rom.  \\.  1.  t  Rom.  iii.  8.  \  Tit.  i.  10,  II. 


Chap.  4.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  289 

"  denied  him,  being  abominable  and  disobedient,  and 
"  to  every  good  work  reprobate*  ;"  "  who  pretended  to 
*'  faith,   but  were  destitute  of  those  fruits   which  true 
*'  faith  always  producest-"     These  are  described  "  as 
*'  clouds  without  water,  carried  about  of  winds  ;  trees 
**  whose  fruit  withereth,  twice  dead,  plucked  up  by  the 
"  roots ;  raging  waves  of  the  sea,   foaming  out  their 
"  own  shame ;  wandering  stars,  to  whom  is  reserved 
*'  the  blackness  of  darkness  for  everj :"    "  Sporting 
"  themselves  with  their  own  deceivings,  and  beguiling 
*'  unstable  souls§."     In  opposition  to  such  deceivers  it 
is  written,  "  If  M'e  say  that  we  have  fellowship  with 
"  him,   and  walk  in  darkness,  we  lie,  and  do  not  the 
"  truth  ||."     "  He  that  saith,  I  know  him,  and  keepeth 
"  not  his  commandments,   is  a  liar,  and  the  truth  is 
"  not  in  him**  ;"  for  "  every  man  that  hath  this  hope  in 
tj*  him,  purifieth  himself,  even  as  he  is  purejf."    "  The 
"  foundation  of  God  standeth  sure,   having  this  seal, 
"  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his ;  and  let  every 
"  one  that  nameth  the  name  of  Christ  depart  from  ini- 

"  quityJt" 

St.  Paul,  writing  to  the  Thessalonians  concerning 
the  "  man  of  sin§^,"  who  was  to  be  fully  revealed  in  the 
following  ages,  reminds  them,  that  the  mystery  of  ini- 
quity, though  at  that  time  restrained  from  a  full  mani- 
festation, did  already  work  ;  leaching  us,  that  the  seeds 
of  that  grand  apostasy,  which  at  length  overspread 
the  whole  professing  church,  were  sown,  and  springing 
up,  at  the  time  of  his  w  riting.  And  he  mentions  seve- 
ral particulars  in  his  Epistle  to  the  Colossians|}||,  such 

*Tit.  i.  16.  t  James  ii.  14.  ^Jude  12,13. 

§2Pet.  ii.  13,  14.     II  IJohn  i.  6.  *«lJohnii.  4. 

ft  1  John  iii.  3.      \\  2  Tim.  ii.  19.  §§  2  Thess.  ii.  3—10. 
IJIlCol.  ii.  18—23. 

Vol.  III.  2  P 


290  A  jRevtew  of  Ecclesiastical  Ristori/.  Book  IT. 

as  a  voluntary  or  self-devised  humility,  in  worsiiipping 
angels  as  mediators  or  intercessors,  a  dogmatic  inhi- 
bition of  things  which  God  had  left  free,  and  a  specious 
.scheme  of  u-ill-worship  and  mortification,  which,  under 
pretence  of  self-denial,  did  really  gratify  pride,  vanity, 
and  self  righteousness.  The  progress  of  our  history 
ivill  show  what  a  harvest  of  dreadful  and  wide-spread- 
ing evils  were  produced  from  these  principles,  until  at 
length  the  Gospel  of  Christ  was  wholly  obscured,  and 
the  lives  and  consciences  of  men  were  given  up  to 
the  power  of  antichrist,  who,  as  god,  insolently  sat 
down  in  the  temple  of  God,  and  exalted  himself  above 
all  laws,  human  and  divine.  It  is  sufficient  to  my  pur- 
pose, at  present,  to  take  notice,  that  the  beginnings  of 
that  spiritual  infatuation,  which  so  long  detained  the 
world  in  chains,  and  darkness,  and  slavery,  under  the 
tyranny  of  the  church  of  Rome,  were  observable  in  St. 
PauTs  time,  and  therefore  deserve  a  place  in  the  list 
of  those  pestilent  heresies  by  which  the  enemy  of  souls 
attempted  to  defile  the  tailh,  and  disturb  the  ptace, 
of  the  primitive  church. 

Many  other  things  are  alluded  to,  which,  for  want 
of  authentic  records  of  the  first  century,  we  cannot  with 
certainty  explain.  Besides  the  doctrine  oflheNico- 
laitans,  already  mentic  ned,  we  read  of  the  blasphemy 
ot  them  w  hich  say  they  are  Jews,  and  are  not,  but  of 
the  synagogue  ot  Satan*,  of  them  who  held  the  doctrine 
ot  Balaam  and  of  the  wonian  Jezebel,  who  called  her- 
selt  a  prophettssl.  These  were  certainly  heretics,  for 
our  Lord  severely  rebukes  the  churches  for  not  op- 
posing them  to  the  utniost ;  and,  as  he  gives  them  dif- 
ferent names,   they  probably  diiitred  from  each  other, 

*Rev.  iii.  9.  t  Rev.  ii.  14.  20. 


Chap.  4.         A  Revieiv  of  Ecclesiastical  TTistory,  291 

thouirh  their  ultimate  tendency  was  tlie  same,  to  per- 
vert the  faith  of  the  hearers,  and  to  introduce  licen- 
tiousness of  practice.  The  Gospel-truth  is  a  doctrine 
according  to  godliness,  and  has  a  sanclilying  influence  ; 
for  the  grace  of  God  teaches  all  who  are  partakers  of 
it,  to  forsake  all  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  and  to 
live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly  in  the  present 
world*.  But  errors  and  heresies,  in  whatever  dejiree 
they  prevail,  have  a  poisonous  effect  upon  those  who 
admit  them.  Some  are  calculated  to  set  aside  the 
whole  frame  of  obedience  which  we  owe  to  our  God  and 
Saviour,  and  the  must  refined  and  plausible  will  deliver 
the  soul  into  the  power  ot  some  easy,  besetting,  and  be- 
loved sin,  and  furnish  arms  and  arguments  to  maintain  it. 
And  this  explains  what  vv'ould  otherwbe  seem  a  very 
strange  phenotnenon.  When  the  truth  is  proposed 
with  the  greatest  clearness,  and  the  greatest  advantages, 
its  votaries,  at  all  times,  and  in  all  places,  have  been 
but  few;  but  whoever  will  stand  up  on  the  side  of 
error,  however  wild  and  absurd  his  opinions  and  coa- 
duct  may  be,  will  hardly  fail  of  obtaining  adherents. 
It  is  because  error  will  tolerate  those  lusts  and  follies 
which  truth  will  not  endure:  and,  in  the  present  state 
of  human  depravity,  more  people  will  be  found  willing 
to  give  up  their  understandings,  than  to  part  with  their 
sins.'      '    '  ^        '      '  - 

vve  may  likewise  collect  from  several  texts  m  the 
Epistles,  that  there  were  those  of  old  who  denied  what 
the  Scripture  teaches  concerning  the  depravity  ot  hu- 

miin  nature,  the  real  guilt  ot  smt,  the  inrluences  ot  tlie 
-,:•,     iiJ^..^J^lL   ,11.    '^j  .bn;;    ,;.''u.v,  .     ,  ■-. 

Holy  bpiritt,  and  the  terrors  ot  a  tuture   ludgment^: 

*  Tit.  ii.  11,  19.,  t  5  John  i.  8.  10. 

I  Jude  19.  ^  2  Pet.  iii.  9, 


292  ji  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  Histonj.        Book  II. 

though  we  cannot  be  sure  that  these  doctrines  were  op- 
posed so  openly  and  so  strenuously  as  they  are  in  our 
own  days.  But  I  have  enumerated  enough  to  answer 
my  purpose,  by  way  of  apology  for  the  evangelical  doc- 
trine, the  modern  opposers  of  the  last-mentioned  points 
not  being  under  any  suspicion  or  charge  of  what  is  called 
enthusiasm  ;  and  all  who  are  despised  or  persecuted  for 
resting  the  hope  of  their  salvation  solely  upon  the  medi- 
ation of  Jc?sus  and  his  obedience  unto  death,  even  the 
death  of  the  cross,  are  known  to  acknowledsre  them  ases- 
sential  truths;  indeed,  they  stand  inseparably  connected 
with  what  they  believe  of  his  person,  offices,  power,  and 
grace.  A  conscience  impressed  with  ihe  majesty,  holi- 
ness, and  justice  of  the  great  God,  and  that  trembles 
at  the  denunciations  of  his  law  against  every  transgres- 
sion, dares  not  hope  for  peace  without  the  discovery  of 
an  adequate  atonement  for  sin,  nor  venture  its  eternal 
concerns  upon  the  interposition  of  a  creature.  To  such 
a  one,  all  that  is  revealed  of  the  love  and  sufferings  of 
Jesus,  would  afford  no  solid  ground  ot  consolation,  if 
the  infinite  dignity  of  his  divine  nature,  and  his  volun- 
tary substitution  in  the  place  and  on  the  behalt  of  sin- 
ners, were  not  revealed  with  equal  clearness  ;  and  a 
conviction  of  that  total  insufficiency  for  every  good 
work*,  and  the  prevalence  of  indwelling  sinf,  which  the 
Scripture  so  expresslv  declares  to  be  the  condition  of 
every  child  of  Adam,  m  oiild  plunge  an  awakened  mind 
into  hopeless  des[)air,  if  it  vvas  not  relieved  by  the  gra- 
cious promise  of  the  intallible  SpiritJ,  whose  office  is  ta 
teach,  o;uide,  comfort,  and  seal  the  children  of  God  unto 
the  day  of  complete  redemption  §,   but  having  such  a 

*  2  Cor.  ii.  5.  \  Rom.vii.  18—24. 

%  John  xiv.  26.;  xvi.  7.  13.  §  Ephes.  iv.  30. 


Cliap.  4.         A  Bccieto  of  Ecclesiastical  Jlistofj/.  $93 

great  high  priest,  who,  by  his  own  blood,  has  entered 
into  the  holy  place,  to  appear  in  the  presence  ot  God 
for  us*;  and  havins:,  in  the  promise  of  the  Holy  Spiritf, 
a  source  of  succour  and  comfort  answerable  to  all  our 
ignorance,  weakness,  necessities,  and  temptations,  we 
are  enabled,  in  the  midst  of  fightings  and  fears  J,  to 
maintain  an  humble  confidence  that  we  shall  not  be 
ashamed  before  him  at  his  coming,  but  have  boldness 
in  the  day  of  judofment,  the  great  and  terrible  day  of 
the  Lord  §.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  no  wonder  that 
those  who  do  not  acknovvledgje  the  Deity  of  the  Saviour, 
(not  finding  any  other  basis  whereon  to  rest  the  validity 
©f  an  atonement  for  sin,)  should  embrace  every  shadow 
of  an  argument  against  its  necessity,  and  be  willing  to 
think  as  highly  as  possible  of  their  own  righteousness 
and  abilities ;  or,  that  being  thus  persuaded  that  they 
can  please  (rod,  without  the  influence  of  his  Spirit, 
themselves,  they  should  treat  all  claims  to  this  assist- 
ance in  others  as  enthusiasm  and  folly.  Nor  can  we 
be  surprised  that  many  who  reject  the  Scripture  testi- 
mony concerning  Christ  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  should 
use  all  their  address  to  prove  that  the  soul  sinks  into 
sleep  and  inactivity  at  death,  that  the  resurrection  of 
the  flesh  is  improbable,  and  that  it  is  injurious  to  the 
goodness  of  God,  to  suppose  he  will  inflict  eternal  pu- 
nishment for  sins  committed  within  the  compass  of  a 
short  life.  Such  reasonings  may  be  expected  from  men 
who  presume  upon  the  sufficiency  of  their  own  wisdom ; 
who  neither  expect  nor  desire  divine  teaching,  and  who 
find  a  little  relief  in  these  sentiments  against  the  fears 
and  forebodings  which  will  sometimes  force  themselves 
upon  their  minus. 

*  Hcb.  viii.  1.  ;  ix.  2i. ;  x.  19.         f  Rom.  \iii.  16.26,  27. 
4  2  Co4\  vii.  5..  §  1  John  ii.  28.;  iv.  17. 


394  A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  "History.        Book  II, 

It  appears,  however,  from  the  indisputable  evidence 
of  the  New  Testament,  that,  in  the  first  age  of  the 
church,  the  enemy  sowed  the  tares  of  error  and  heresy 
in  ^reat  ghundance^  and  that  the  figments  published  in 
that  period,-  by  men  who  professed  some  regard  to  tlie 
name  of  Christ,  hav<3  not  been  Siirpassed,  either  as  to 
absurdity  or  wickedness,  by  any  attempts  of  the  same 
kind,  in  any  aije  or  country  since.  It  is  true,  the  vi- 
gilance and  authority  of  the  apostles  restrained  these 
excesses  from  rising  to  that  height  to  which  they  after- 
wards attained.  But  if  the  people  who  now  object  to  the 
variety  of  names,  sects,  and  sentiments,  which  have 
gradually  prevailed  amongst  us  within  these  thirty  years 
past,  had  lived  in  the  primitive  church,  they  would 
have  had,  at  least,  equal  cause  for  making  the  like  ob- 
jections. If,  upoli  these  accounts,  they  now  think  them- 
selves at  liberty  to  reject  all  parties  alike,  without  exa- 
mination, as  empty  pretenders  to  the  truth,  purity,  and 
power  of  religion  ;  there  is  little  doubt  but  they  would 
have  done  the  same  then.  The  apostles  were  person- 
ally present  with  the  first  churches  ;  their  writings  were 
appointed  to  be  the  rule  of  succeeding  times,  and, 
through  the  mercy  of  God,  are  in  oiir  hands.  AV^hd- 
e»er  is  sincerely  desirous  to  know  the  will  of  God,  by 
attendinsr  to  these  lively  oracles,  will  he.  enabled  to  dis- 
cern the  path  of  truth  and  peace,  through  the  midst  of 
that  maze  of  opinions  wherein  so  many  are  bewildered 
and  lost;  bat  whoever  is  tdo  'i*5sfe,i^i' too  indolent,  to 
search  the  Scripture  humbly  aini  diligently  for  himselt^ 
Mould  have  paid  as  little  regard  to  the  authority  ot  the 
apostles  if  he  could  have  conversed  with  them;  nay, 
the  advaTita.^e'is  on  oiir  sidfe;'  For  as  the' ^cribttii^^s  are 
held  in  professed  veneration,  we  run  no  immediate  risk 
ol  character  or  intercut  by  consulting  them,  or  they 
miiy  he  perused  in  rotircment^  uuuUscrvcd  by  our  near- 


Chap.  4.         A  Review  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  395 

est  friends  ;  whereas  the  apostles,  though  highly  spoken 
of  amongst  us,  were  accounted,  while  they  lived,  the 
filth  and  offscouring  of  all  things;  they  \\ere  despised 
for  their  poverty  and  the  meanness  of  their  appearance, 
and  detested  as  bigots  and  enthusiasts  ;  so  that  it  re- 
quired some  degree  of  iaith  and  grace  not  to  be  ashamed 
of  them. 

Let  not  the  reader  be  offended,  if  I  close  this  book, 
as  I  did  the  former,  with  entreating  him  to  reflect  on 
the  importance  of  having  right  views  of  the  Gospel  of 
Christ,  and  of  the  spirit  of  Christianity.  Thci^e  arc 
topics  of  nnivei'sal  concern.  A  believer  in  Jesus,  how- 
ever obscure, , unnoticed,  or  oppressed  in  the  present 
life,  is  h;appy ;  he  is  a  child  of  God,  the  charge  of 
angels,  an  heir  of  glory*;  he  has  meat  to  eat  that  the 
■world  knows  not  of;  and  from  the  knowledge  of  his 
union  and  relation  to  his  Redeemer,  he  derives  a  peace 
which  passes  understanding^,  and  a  power  suited  to 
every  service  and  circumstance  ol  life  J.  Though  weak 
in  himself,  he  is  strong  in  grace  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus 
the  Lord|,  upon  whom  he  relies,  as  his  >\  isdom,  right- 
eousness, sanctiiication,  and  expects  from  him,  in  due 
time,  a  complete  redemption  from  e\ery  evil)j.  His 
faith  is  not  merely  speculative,  like  the  cold  assent  we 
give  to  a  mathematical  truth,  nor  is  it  the  blind  impulse 
of  a  warm  imagination  ;  but  it  is  the  efl'ect  of  an  appre- 
hension of  tlie  wisdom,  power,  and  love  displayed  in  the 
redemption  of  ,sinner8|  by  Jesus  Christ;  it  is  a  con- 
straining principle,  that  works  by  .love,  purifies  the 
heart,  and  oy^i^^ppi^es  ^^hq  worJdii  it  gives  the  foretaste 

*  Rom.  viii.  14. 17,  ,t  P'ii-  iv-  7.  \  3  C©r.  xii.  9. 

§  2  Tim.  n.  1.  ;]  I  Cor.  i.  Sft. 


2^6  A  Reviau  of  Ecclesiastical  History.         Book  II. 

and  evidence  of  thini^s  invisible  to  mortal  eyes,  and, 
transtoniiin!>  the  soul  into  the  reseniblance  of  wiiat  it 
beholds,  fills  the  hf»art  with  benevolence,  {gentleness, 
and  patience,  and  directs  every  action  to  the  sublimest 
ends,  the  iilory  of  God,  and  the  good  of  mankind** 

But  whatever  is  styled  relii>ion  that  is  not  thus  pure, 
thus  peaceable,  thus  operative,  or,  at  least,  that  does 
not  lead  the  soul  to  desire  the  graces  of  the  Spirit,  and 
to  seek  thciij  in  Ciod's  appointed  way,  by  faith  in  his 
Son,  is  unworthy  the  name.  If  you  have  not  the  Spirit 
of  Christ,  you  are  none  of  his  )  ;  whatever  else  you 
may  have,  you  have  no  interest  m  the  promised  bless- 
ings of  the  Gospel  ;  whatever  else  you  can  do,  you 
cannot  please  Goilj;.  If  you  do  not  count  all  things 
loss,  and  ot  no  value,  in  comparison  of  the  excellency 
of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord§,  you  cer- 
tainly (\(i  not  understand  the  word  Gospel  in  St.  Paufs 
sense  ;  it  you  did,  you  would  be  of  his  mind.  And  are 
you  not  in  danger  of  incurring  that  anathema,  which, 
under  the  influence  of  the  S|)irit  of  God,  he  denounces 
against  all  who  love  not  the  Lord  Jesus ||r  Search  the 
Scriptures,  it  you  really  think  that  in  them  you  have 
eternal  life**.  If,  indeed,  you  could  prove  them  to  be 
cunningly  devised  fables  |'  I",  you  miglu  neglect  them  with- 
out danger  ;  but  if  the  Scriptures  aie  true,  there  is  a 
day  coming  when  Ciod  shall  judge  the  worldj;:j:.  I  need 
not  appeal  to  Scripture  to  convince  you  that,  whatever 
your  situation  in  lite  is,  you  must  leave  it,  and  expc- 

*  Gal.  V.  6.  ;  Acts XV.  9  ;  1  John  v.  4. ;  Ilcb.  xi.  I. ;  2  Cor.  iii.  18. 
t  Rom.  viii.  9.  \  Ilcb.  xi.  6.  §  Pliil.  iii.  8. 

B  I  Cor.  xvi.  22.  *♦  John  v.  39.  -^t  2  Pet.  i.  16. 

\\  Acts  xvii.  31. 


Chap.  4.         A  Bevieio  of  Ecclesiastical  History.  297 

rience  a  moment,  when  the  pleasures  or  honours  of  this 
world  will  afford  you  no  comfort ;  but,  if  the  Scriptures 
are  true,  you  must  then  appear  before  the  judgment- 
seat  of  Christ ;  you  must  stand  either  at  the  right  hand 
or  the  left*.  Important  alternative  !  For  to  those  on 
the  left  hand  the  King  will  say,  "  Depart  from  me 
"  ye  cursedf!"  If  hitherto,  while  you  have  professed 
his  name,  you  have  had  your  heart  filled  with  enmity 
against  his  doctrine  and  his  people ;  if  you  have  ac- 
counted his  wisdom  foolishness,  and  reproached  the  ope- 
rations of  his  Spirit  as  enthusiasm  and  madness  ;  it  is  to 
be  hoped  you  have  done  it  through  ignorance,  you 
knew  not  what  you  did|;  there  is  then  forgiveness  with 
him ;  as  yet  he  is  upon  a  throne  of  grace.  May  the 
Spirit  of  God  lead  you  to  him  before  he  takes  his  seat 
upon  the  throne  of  judgment !  otherwise  you  are  lost 
for  ever.  My  heart's  desire  and  prayer  to  God  for  my 
readers,  will  be,  that  not  one  of  them  may  fall  under 
that  awful  sentence,  "  Behold,  ye  despisers,  and  wonder 
"  and  perish !  for  I  work  a  work  in  your  days,  which 
"  you  shall  in  no  wise  believe,  though  a  man  declare  it 
*'  unto  you. 

»  2  Cor.  V.  10.  t  Matth.  xxv.  41. 

\  1  Tim.  i.  13. ;  Luke  xxiii.  34.         §  Acts  xiii.  41. 


Vol.  III.  2  Q 


OLNEY  HYMNS, 

IN  THREE  BOOKS, 
BOOK  I. 

ON  SELECT  TEXTS  OF  SCRIPTURE. 

BOOK  11. 

ON  OCCASIONAL  SUBJECTS, 

BOOK  III. 

ON  THE  PROGRESS  AND  CHANGES  OF  THE  SPIRITUAL  LIFE. 


Cantabitis,  Arcades,  inquit. 


Montibus  hxc  vestris  :  soli  cantare  pei'iti 

Arcades.     O  mihi  turn  quam  moUiter  ossa  quleacanl;> 

Vestra  meos  olim  si  fistula  dicat  amores  ! 

Virgil,  Ecl.  x.  31. 
And  they  sung  as  it  were  a  new  song  before  the  throne  : — and  no  roan 
could  learn  tliat  song,  but  the — redeemed  from  the  earth. 

Rev.  xiv.  o 
As  sorrowful,  yet  alway  rejoicing. — 2  Cor.  vi.  10. 


PREFACE. 


c 


OPIES  of  a  few  of  these  Hymns  have  already  ap- 
peared in  periodical  publications,  and  in  some  recent  col- 
lections.   I  have  observed  one  or  two  of  them  attributed 
to  persons  who  certainly  had  no  concern  in  them,  but 
as  transcribers.     All  that  have  been  at  different  times 
parted  with  in  manuscript  are  included  in  the  present 
volume  ;  and,  (if  the  information  were  of  any  great  im- 
portance,) the  public  may  be  assured,   that  the  whole 
number  were  composed  by  two  persons  only.     The  ori- 
ginal design  would  not  admit  of  any  other  association. 
A  desire  of  promoting  the  faith  and  comfort  of  sincere 
Christians,  though  the  principal,  was  not  the  only,  mo- 
tive to  this  undertaking.     It  was  likewise  intended  as  a 
monument  to  perpetuate  the  remembrance  of  an  inti- 
mate  and   endeared    friendship.     With  this   pleasing 
view,  I  entered  upon  my  part,  which  would  have  been 
smaller  than  it  is,  and  the  book  would  have  appeared 
much  sooner,  and  in  a  very  different  form,  if  the  wise, 
though  mysterious,  providence  of  God,  had  not  seen  fit 
to  cross  my  wishes.     We  had  not  proceeded  far  upon 
our  proposed  plan,  before  my  dear  friend  was  prevent- 
ed, by  a  long  and  affecting  indisposition,  from  affording 
me  any  further  assistance.     My  grief  and  disappoint- 
ment were  great ;  I  hung  my  harp   upon  the  willows, 
and  for  some  time  thought  myself  determined  to  pro- 
ceed no  further  without  him.     Yet  my  mind  was  after- 
wards  led  to  resume  the  service.     My  progress  in  it, 
amidst  a  variety  of  other  engagements,  has  been  slow  • 
yet,  in  a  course  of  vears,  the  Hymns  amounted  to  a 


302  PREFACE. 

considerable  number.  And  my  deference  to  the  judg- 
ment and  desires  of  others,  has  at  length  overcome  the 
reluctance  I  long  felt  to  see  them  in  print,  while  I  had 
so  few  of  my  friend's  Hymns  to  insert  in  the  collection. 
Though  it  is  possible  a  good  judge  of  composition  might 
be  able  to  distinguish  those  which  are  his,  I  have  thought 
it  proper  to  preclude  a  misapplication,  by  prefixing  the 
letter  C  to  each  of  them.  For  the  rest  I  must  be  re- 
sponsible. 

There  is  a  style  and  manner  suited  to  the  compo- 
sition of  hymns,  which  may  be  more  successfully  or  at 
least  more  easily,  attained  by  a  versifier,  than  by  a  poet. 
They  should  be  Hymns,  not  Odes,  if  designed  for  pub- 
lic worship,  and  for  the  use  of  plain  people.  Perspi- 
cuity, simplicity,  and  ease,  should  be  chiefly  attended 
to;  and  the  imagery  and  colouring  of  poetry,  if  admitted 
at  all,  should  be  indulged  very  sparingl}-,  and  with 
great  judgment.  The  late  Dr.  Watts,  many  of  whose 
hymns  are  admirable  patterns  in  this  species  of  writing, 
might,  as  a  poet,  have  a  right  to  say,  that  it  cost  him 
some  labour  to  restrain  his  fire,  and  to  accommodate 
himself  to  the  capacities  of  common  readers.  But  it 
would  not  become  me  to  make  such  a  declaration.  It 
behooved  me  to  do  my  best.  But  though  I  would  not 
offend  readers  of  taste  by  a  wilful  coarseness  and  negli- 
gence, I  do  not  write  professedly  for  them.  If  the 
Lord,  whom  I  serve,  has  been  pleased  to  favour  me 
with  that  mediocrity  of  talent  which  may  qualify  me 
for  usefulness  to  the  weak  and  the  poor  of  his  flock, 
without  quite  disgusting  persons  of  superior  discern- 
ment, I  have  reason  to  be  satisfied. 

As  the  workings  of  the  heart  of  man,  and  of  the  Spirit 
of  God,  are  in  general  the  same  in  all  who  are  the  sub- 
jects of  grace,  I  hope  most  of  these  hymns,  being  the 


TREFACE.  303 

fruit  and  expression  of  my  own  experience,  will  coin- 
cide with  the  views  of  real  Christians  of  all  denomina- 
tions. But  I  cannot  expect  that  every  sentiment  I  have 
advanced  will  be  universally  approved.  However,  I 
am  not  conscious  of  having  written  a  single  line  with  an 
intention  either  to  flatter  or  to  offend  any  party  or  per- 
son upon  earth.  I  have  simply  declared  my  own  views 
and  feelings,  as  I  might  have  done  if  I  had  composed 
hymns  in  some  of  the  newly-discovered  islands  in  the 
South  Sea,  where  no  person  had  any  knowledge  of  the 
name  of  Jesus,  but  myself  I  am  a  friend  of  peace  ; 
and  being  deeply  convinced  that  no  one  can  profitably 
understand  the  great  truths  and  doctrines  of  the  Gos- 
pel any  further  than  he  is  taught  of  God,  I  have  not 
a  wish  to  obtrude  my  own  tenets  upon  others,  in  a  way 
of  controversy  ;  yet  I  do  not  think  myself  bound  to  con- 
ceal them.  Many  gracious  persons,  (for  many  such  I 
am  persuaded  there  are,)  who  differ  from  me,  more  or 
less,  in  those  points  which  are  called  Calvinistic,  appear 
desirous  that  the  Calvinists  should,  for  their  sakes, 
studiously  avoid  every  expression  which  they  cannot 
approve.  Yet  few  of  them,  I  believe,  impose  a  like 
restraint  upon  themselves,  but  think  the  importance  of 
what  they  deem  to  be  truth  justifies  them  in  speaking 
their  sentiments  plainly  and  strongly.  May  I  not  plead 
for  an  equal  liberty  ?  The  views  I  have  received  of 
the  doctrines  of  grace  are  essential  to  my  peace;  I 
could  not  live  comfortably  a  day,  or  an  hour,  without 
them.  I  likewise  believe,  yea,  so  far  as  my  poor  at- 
tainments warrant  me  to  speak,  I  know  ihcm  to  be 
friendly  to  holiness,  and  to  have  a  direct  influence  in 
producing  and  maintaining  a  Gospel  conversation  ;  and 
therefore  I  must  not  be  ashamed  of  them. 

The  hymns  are  distributed  into  three  books.     In  the 


304  PREFACE. 

first  I  have  classed  those  which  are  formed  upon  select 
passages  of  scripture,  and  placed  them  in  the  order  of 
the  books  of  the  Old  and  New  New  Testament.  The  se- 
cond contains  Occasional  Hymns,  suited  to  particular 
seasons,  or  su^^gested  by  particular  events  or  subjects. 
The  third  Book  is  miscellaneous,  comprising  a  variety 
of  subjects  relative  to  a  life  of  faith  in  the  Son  of  God, 
which  have  no  express  reference  either  to  a  single  text 
of  Scripture,  or  to  any  determinate  season  or  incident. 
These  are  further  subdivided  into  distinct  heads.  This 
arrangement  is  not  so  accurate  but  that  several  of  the 
hymns  might  have  been  differently  disposed.  Some  at- 
tention to  method  may  be  found  convenient ;  though  a 
logical  exactness  was  hardly  practicable.  x\s  some 
subjects  in  the  several  books  are  nearly  coincident,  I 
have,  under  the  divisions  in  the  third  Book,  pointed 
out  those  which  are  similar  in  the  two  former.  And  I 
have  likewise  here  and  there,  in  the  first  and  second, 
made  a  reference  to  hymns  of  a  like  import  in  the 
third. 

This  publication,  which,  with  my  humble  prayer  to 
the  Lord  for  his  blessing  upon  it,  I  offer  to  the  service 
and  acceptance  of  all  who  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
in  sincerity,  of  every  name  and  in  every  place,  into 
whose  hands  it  may  come,  I  more  particularly  dedi- 
cate to  my  dear  friends  in  the  parish  and  neighbour- 
hood of  Olney,  for  whose  use  the  hymns  were  original- 
ly composed  ;  and  as  a  testimony  of  the  sincere  love  I 
bear  them,  and  as  a  token  of  my  gratitude  to  the  Lord 
and  to  them,  for  the  comfort  and  satisfaction  with 
which  the  discharge  of  my  ministry  among  them  has 
been  attended. 

The  hour  is  approaching,  and,  at  my  time  of  life, 
cannot  be  very  distant,  when  my  heart,  my  pen,  and 


PREFACE.  305 

my  tongue,  will  no  longer  be  able  to  move  in  their  ser- 
vice. But  I  trust,  while  my  heart  continues  to  beat,  it 
will  feel  a  warm  desire  for  the  prosperity  of  their  souls  ; 
and  while  my  hand  can  write,  and  my  tongue  speak, 
it  will  be  the  business  and  the  pleasure  of  my  life,  to 
aim  at  promoting  their  growth  and  establishment  in  the 
grace  of  our  God  and  Saviour.  To  this  precious  grace 
I  commend  them,  and  earnestly  entreat  them,  and  all 
who  love  his  name,  to  strive  mightily  with  their  prayers 
to  God  for  me,  that  I  may  be  preserved  faithful  to  the 
end,  and  enabled  at  last  to  finish  my  course  with  joy. 


JOHN  NEWTON. 


Olney,  Bucks, 
February  15,  1779. 


Vol.  hi.  2  H 


OLNEY  HYMNS, 

BOOK  L 

ON  SELECT  PASSAGES  OF  SCRIPTURE^ 

GENESIS. 

HYMN  I.     Mam.     Chap.  iii. 

1  V^N  man,  in  his  own  image  made, 

How  much  did  God  bestow  ! 

The  whole  creation  homage  paid, 

And  own'd  him  Lord  below. 

2  He  dwelt  in  Eden's  garden,  stor'd 

With  sweets  for  ev'ry  sense  ; 
And  there,  with  his  descending  Lord, 
He  walk'd  in  confidence. 

3  But,  oh  !  by  sin  how  quickly  chang'd  ! 

His  honour  forfeited, 
His  heart  from  God  and  truth  estrang'd, 
His  conscience  fili'd  with  dread  ! 

4  Now  from  his  Maker's  voice  he  flees, 

Which  was  before  his  joy  ; 
And  thinks  to  hide,  amidst  the  trees^ 
From  an  all-seeing  eye, 


308  Genesis.  Book  I, 

5  Compell'd  to- answer  to  his  name, 
With  stubbornness  and  pride, 
He  cast  on  God  himself  the  blame  ; 
Nor  once  for  mercy  cr^'d. 

C  But  grace,  unask'd,  his  heart  subdu'dj 
And  all  his  guilt  forgave ; 
By  faith  the  promis'd  Seed  he  view'd, 
And  felt  his  pow'r  to  save. 

7  Thus  we  ourselves  would  justify. 

Though  we  the  law  transgress  ; 
Like  him,  unable  to  deny. 
Unwilling  to  confess. 

8  But  when  by  faith  the  sinner  sees 

A  pardon  bought  with  blood, 
Then  he  forsakes  his  foolish  pleas, 
And  gladly  turns  to  God. 


II.   Cain  and  Abel.     Chap.  iv.  S-^^. 

1  When  Adam  fell,  he  quickly  lost 

God's  image  which  he  once  possess'd  : 
See  all  our  nature  since  could  boast 
In  Cain,  his  first-boni  son,  express'd  ! 

2  The  sacrifice  the  Lord  ordain'd 

In  type  of  the  Redeemer's  blood, 
Self-righteous  reas'ning  Cain  disdain'd. 
And  thoLighthis  ovvii  first-fruits  as  good, 

3  Yet  rage  and  envy  fill'd  his  mind. 

When,  with  a  sullen  downcast  look. 
He  saw  his  brother  favour  find. 

Who  God's  appointed  method  took. 


Hymn  3.  Getiesis.  309 

4  By  Cain's  own  hand  good  Abel  died, 

Because  the  Lord  approv'd  his  faith  ; 

And,  when  his  blood  for  vengeance  cry'd, 

He  vainly  thought  to  hide  his  death. 

5  Such  was  the  wicked  murd'rer  Cain^ 

And  such  by  nature  still  are  w*e, 
Until  by  grace  we're  bom  again, 
Malicious,  blind,  and  proud  as  he. 

6  Like  him,  the  way  of  grace  we  slight, 

And  in  our  own  devices  trust ; 
Call  evil  good,  and  darkness  light, 
And  hate  and  persecute  the  just. 

7  The  saints  in  ev'ry  age  and  place 

Have  found  his  history  fulfilPd ; 
The  numbers  all  our  thoughts  surpass. 
Of  Abels,  whom  the  Cains  have  kill'd*  ! 

8  Thus  Jesus  fell-^but,  oh  !  his  blood 

Far  better  things  than  Abel's  criesf , 
Obtains  his  murd'rers  peace  with  God, 
And  gains  them  mansions  in  the  skies. 

III.    C.      Walking  with  God.     Chap.  v.  24. 

1  Oh  !  for  a  closer  walk  with  God, 

A  calm  and  heav'nly  frame ; 

A  light,  to  shine  upon  the  road 

That  leads  me  to  the  Lamb  ! 

2  Where  is  the  blessedness  I  knew 

When  first  I  saw  the  Lord  ? 
Where  is  the  soul-refreshing  view 
Of  Jesus,  and  his  word  ? 

*  Rom.  viii.  36.         t  Heb.  xii.  24. 


310  '  Genesis,  Book  I. 

3  What  peaceful  houis  I  once  enjoy 'd ! 

How  sweet  their  mein'ry  still ! 
But  they  have  left  an  aching  void, 
The  world  can  never  fill. 

4  Return,  O  holy  Dove,  return  ! 

Sweet  messenger  of  rest ; 
I  hate  the  sins  that  made  thee  mourn, 
And  drove  thee  from  my  breast. 

5  The  dearest  idol  I  have  known, 

Whate'er  that  idol  be, 
Help  me  to  tear  it  from  thy  throne, 
And  worship  only  thee. 

6  So  shall  my  walk  be  close  with  God, 

Calm  and  serene  my  frame  ; 

So  purer  light  shall  mark  the  road 

That  leads  mc  to  the  Lamb. 

IV.  Another, 

1  By  faith  in  Christ  I  walk  with  God, 

With  heav'n,  my  journey's  end,  in  view; 
Supported  by  his  staff  and  rod*, 
JNIy  road  is  safe  and  pleasant  too. 

2  I  travel  through  a  desert  wide, 

Where  many  round  me  blindly  stray  ; 
But  he  vouchsafes  to  be  mj'  guidef, 
And  will  not  let  me  miss  my  way. 

3  Though  snares  and  dangers  throngmypath,  . 

And  earth  and  hell  my  course  withstand, 
I  triumph  over  all  by  faith|, 
Guaided  by  his  almighty  hand. 
*  Psal.  xxiii.  4.     f  Psal.  cvii.     %  Psal.  xxvii.    1,  2^ 


Hymn  5.  Genesis.  311 

4  The  wilderness  affords  no  food, 

But  God  for  my  support  prepares  ; 
Provides  me  ev'iy  needful  good, 
And  frees  my  soul  from  wants  and  cares. 

5  With  him  SAV^eet  converse  I  maintain, 

Great  as  he  is,  I  dare  be  free, 
I  tell  him  all  my  grief  and  pain, 
And  he  reveals  his  love  to  me. 

6  Some  cordial  from  his  word  he  brings, 

Whene'er  my  feebie  spirit  faints  ; 
At  once  my  soul  revives  and  sings, 
And  yields  no  more  to  sad  complaints. 

7  I  pity  all  that  woi'ldlings  talk 

Of  pleasures  tliat  will  quickly  end  ; 
Be  this  my  choice,  O  Lord,  to  walk 
With  tIiee,myGuide,myGuard,my  Friend! 

V.     Lot  in  Sodom.     Chap,  xiii.  10. 

1  Hovvr  hurtful  M'as  the  choice  of  Lot, 

Who  took  up  his  abode, 
(Because  it  was  a  fruitful  spot,) 
With  them  who  fear'd  not  God  ! 

2  A  pris'ner  he  was  quickly  made, 

Bereav'd  of  all  his  store  ; 
And,  but  for  Abraham's  timely  aid. 
He  had  return'd  no  more. 

3  Yet  still  he  seem'd  resolv'd  to  ^Aay, 

As  if  it  were  his  rest ; 
Aliho'  their  sins  from  day  to  da\  * 
Hiii  righteous  soul  distrcss'd. 

*  2  Peter  ii.  8. 


312  Gemsh.  Book  I. 

4  Awhile  he  stay'cl  with  anxious  mind, 

Expos'd  to  scorn  and  strife  ; 
.  At  last  he  left  liis  all  behind, 
And  fled  to  save  his  life, 

5  In  vain  his  sons-in-law  he  warn'd, 

They  thought  he  told  his  dreams  : 
His  daughters,  too,  of  them  liad  leam'd, 
And  perish'd  in  the  flames. 

6  His  wife  escap'd  a  little  way, 

But  dy'd  for  looking  back  : 
Does  not  her  case  to  pilgrims  say, 
"  Beware  of  growing  slack  V 

7  Yea,  Lot  himself  could  ling'ring  stand, 

Though  vengeance  was  in  view ; 
'Twas  mercy  pluck'd  him  by  the  hand^ 
Or  he  had  perish'd  too. 

8  The  doom  of  Sodom  will  be  ours, 

If  to  the  earth  we  cleave ; 
Lord,  quicken  all  our  drowsy  pow'rs, 
To  flee  to  thee  and  live. 

VI.    C.     Jeho-vah-Jireh.    The  Lord  tuill iirovidc. 
Chap.  xxii.  14. 

1  The  saints  should  never  be  dismay'd, 

Nor  sink  in  hopeless  fear ; 
For  when  they  least  expect  his  aid, 
The  Saviour  will  appear. 

2  This  Abraliam  found,  he  rais'd  the  knife, 

God  saw,  and  said,  "Forbear:" 
Yon  ram  shall  yield  his  meaner  life  ; 
Behold  the  victim  there. 


Hymn  7.  Genesis.  313 

3  Once  David  seem'd  Saul's  certain  prey ; 

But,  hark  !  the  foe's  at  hand* ; 
Saul  turns  his  arms  another  way, 
To  save  th'  invaded  land. 

4  When  Jonah  sunk  beneath  the  wave, 

He  thought  to  rise  no  moref  ; 
But  God  prepar'd  a  fish  to  save 
And  bear  him  to  the  shore. 

5  Blest  proofs  of  pow'r  and  grace  divine, 

That  meet  us  in  his  word  ! 
May  ev'ry  deep-felt  care  of  mine 
Be  trusted  with  the  Lord. 

6  Wait  for  his  seasonable  aid. 

And  though  it  tarry,  wait : 
The  promise  may  be  long  delay'd, 
But  cannot  come  too  late. 


VII.    The  Lord  nuill pro-vide. 

1  Though  troubles  assail, 

And  dangers  affright, 
Though  friends  should  all  fail, 

And  foes  all  unite  ; 
Yet  one  thing  secures  us, 

Whatever  betide. 
The  Scripture  assures  us. 

The  Lord  will  provide. 

2  The  birds  without  barn, 

Or  storehouse,  are  fed ; 
From  them  let  us  learn 

To  trust  for  our  bread  : 
*  1   Sam.  xxiii.  27.        f  Jonah  i.   17. 

Vol.  1H.  C  S 


314  Genesis.  Book  I. 

His  saints  what  is  fitting, 

Shall  ne'er  be  deny'd, 
So  long  as  'tis  ^vTitten, 

The  Lord  will  provide. 

3  We  may,  like  the  ships, 

By  tempests  be  tost 
On  perilous  deeps, 

But  cannot  be  lost : 
Though  Satan  enrages 

The  wind  and  the  tide, 
The  promise  engages, 

The  Lord  will  provide. 

4  His  call  we  obey, 

Like  Abra'm  of  old. 
Not  knowing  our  way. 

But  faith  makes  us  bold ; 
For  though  we  ai'e  strangers, 

We  have  a  good  guide, 
And  trust  in  all  dangers. 

The  Lord  will  provide. 

5  When  Satan  appears 

To  stop  up  our  path, 
And  fill  us  with  fears. 

We  triumph  by  faith : 
He  cannot  take  from  us. 

Though  oft  he  has  try'd, 
This  heart- cheering  promise, 

The  Lord  will  provide. 

6  He  tells  us  we're  weak, 

Our  hope  is  in  vain, 
The  good  that  we  seek 
We  ne'er  shall  obtain ; 


Hymn  8.  Gerwds.  $15 

But  when  such  suggestion^ 

Our  spirits  have  ply'd, 
This  answers  all  questions, 

The  Lord  will  provide. 

7  No  strength  of  our  own, 

Or  goodness,  we  claim  ; 
Yet  since  we  have  known 

The  Saviour's  great  name, 
In  this  our  strong  tow'r 

For  safety  we  hide. 
The  Lord  is  our  pow'r, 

The  Lord  will  provide. 

8  When  life  sinks  apace, 

And  death  is  in  view, 
This  word  of  his  grace 

Shall  comfort  us  through : 
No  fearing  or  doubting 

With  Christ  on  our  side, 
We  hope  to  die  shouting, 

The  Lord  will  provide. 

VIII.     Esau.     Chap.  xxv.  34.     Heb.  xii.  16. 

X  Poor  Esau  repented  too  late, 

That  once  he  his  birth-right  despis'd, 
And  sold,  for  a  morsel  of  meat. 

What  could  not  too  higlily  be  priz'd : 
How  great  was  his  anguish  when  told, 

The  blessing  he  sought  to  obtain 
Was  gone  with  the  birth-right  he  sold, 

And  none  could  recall  it  again ! 

2  He  stands  as  a  warning  to  all, 

Wherever  the  Gospel  shall  come ; 
O  hasten  and  yield  to  the  call, 

WhJie  yet  ibr  repentance  there's  room ! 


3J6  Genc&ls.  Book  T. 

Your  season  will  quickly  be  past ; 

Then  hear  and  obey  it  to-day, 
Lest,  when  you  seek  mercy  at  last, 

The  Saviour  should  fro\m  you  away. 

3  What  is  it  the  world  can  propose  ? 

A  morsel  of  meat  at  the  best ! 
For  this  are  you  willing  to  lose 

A  share  in  the  joys  of  the  blest  ? 
Its  pleasures  will  speedily  end, 

Its  favour  and  praise  are  but  breath ; 
And  what  can  its  profits  befriend 

Your  soul  in  the  moments  of  death  ? 

4  If  Jesus,  for  these,  you  despise. 

And  sin  to  the  Saviour  prefer ; 
In  vain  your  entreaties  and  cries, 

When  summon'd  to  stand  at  his  bar  : 
How  will  you  his  presence  abide  ? 

What  anguish  will  torture  your  heart ! 
The  saints  all  enthron'd  by  his  side,  \ 

And  you  be  compell'd  to  depart. 

5  Too  often,  dear  Saviour,  have  I 

Preferr'd  some  poor  trifle  to  thee ; 
How  is  it  thou  dost  not  deny 

The  blessing  and  birth-right  to  me  ? 
No  better  than  Esau  I  am. 

Though  pardon  and  heaven  be  mine  : 
To  me  belongs  nothing  but  shame. 

The  praise  and  the  glory  be  thine. 

IX.     Jacob's  Ladder.     Chap,  xxviii.  12. 

^  1  If  the  Lord  our  leader  be, 

We  may  follow  without  fear ; 
East  or  west,  by  land  or  sea, 

Home,  with  him,  is  ev'ry  where  : 


Hymn  9.  Genesis.  317 

When  from  Esau  Jacob  fled, 

Though  his  pillo^v  was  a  stone, 
And  the  ground  his  humble  bed, 

Yet  he  was  not  left  alone. 

2  Kings  are  often  waking  kept, 

Rack'd  witli  cares  on  beds  of  state  ; 
Never  king  like  Jacob  slept, 

For  he  lay  at  heaven's  gate  : 
Lo !  he  saw  a  ladder  rear'd. 

Reaching  to  the  heav'nly  throne ; 
At  the  top  the  Lord  appear'd, 

Spake,  and  claim'd  him  for  his  own  : 

3  "  Fear  not,  Jacob,  thou  art  mine, 

"  And  my  presence  with  thee  goes  ; 
"  On  thy  heart  my  love  shall  shine, 

"  And  my  arm  subdue  thy  foes  : 
"  From  my  promise  comfort  take, 

"  For  my  help  in  trouble  call ; 
"  Never  will  I  thee  forsake, 

"  Till  I  have  accomplish'd  all.'"' 

4  Well  does  Jacob's  ladder  suit 

To  the  Gospel-throne  of  grace  ; 
We  are  at  the  ladder's  foot, 

Ev'rj'  hour,  in  ev'ry  place  : 
By  assuming  flesh  and  blood, 

Jesus  heav'n  and  earth  unites  ; 
We,  by  faith,  ascend  to  God*, 

God  to  dwell  with  us  delights. 

5  They  who  know  the  Saviour's  name. 

Are  for  all  events  prepar'd  ; 
What  can  changes  do  to  them 

Who  have  such  a  guide  and  guard  ? 
*  2  Cor.  vi.  16. 


318  &enesis.  Book  l. 

Should  they  traverse  earth  around, 

To  the  ladder  still  they  come  : 
Ev'ry  spot  is  holy  ground, 

God  is  there — and  he's  their  home. 


X.     My  name  ia  Jacob.     Chap,  xxxii.  27. 

1  Nay,  I  cannot  let  thee  go, 
Till  a  blessing  thou  bestow ; 
Do  not  turn  away  thy  face, 
Mine's  an  urgent,  pressing  case. 

2  Dost  thou  ask  me,  who  I  am  ? 

Ah !  my  Lord,  thou  knowst  my  name 
Yet  the  question  gives  a  plea 
To  support  my  suit  with  thee. 

3  Thou  didst  once  a  wTetch  behold, 
In  rebellion  blindly  bold, 

Scorn  thy  grace,  thy  pow'r  defy, 
That  poor  rebel,  Lord,  was  L 

4  Once  a  sinner,  neai'  despair. 
Sought  thy  mercy  seat  by  pray'r :, 
Mercy  heard  and  set  him  free  ; 
Lord,  that  mercy  came  to  me. 

5  Many  years  have  pass'd  since  then, 
Many  changes  I  have  seen. 

Yet  have  been  upheld  till  now : 
Who  could  hold  me  up  but  tliou  f 

6  Thou  hast  help'd  in  ev'ry  need, 
This  emboldens  me  to  plead  j 
After  so  much  mercy  past. 
Canst  thou  let  me  sink  at  last  ? 


Hymn  11.  Genesis.  319 

7  No — I  must  maintain  my  hold, 
'Tis  thy  goodness  makes  me  bold ; 
I  can  no  denial  take, 
When  I  plead  for  Jesus'  sake. 

XL     Plenty  in  the  time  of  Dearth.     Chap.  xii.  6«. 

1  My  soul  once  had  its  plenteous  years. 

And  throve,  with  peace  and  comfort  fill'd. 
Like  the  fat  kine  and  ripen'd  ears 
Which  Pharaoh  in  his  dream  beheld. 

2  With  pleasing  frames  and  grace  receiv'd, 

With  means  and  ordinances  fed, 
How  happy  for  a  while  I  liv'd, 
And  little  fear'd  the  want  of  bread  I 

3  But  famine  came,  and  left  no  sign 

Of  all  the  plenty  I  had  seen  ; 
Like  the  dry  ears  and  half-starv'd  kine, 
I  then  look'd  wither'd,  faint,  and  lean. 

4  To  Joseph  the  Egyptians  went ; 

To  Jesus  I  made  known  my  case  ; 
He,  when  my  little  stock  was  spent, 
Open'd  his  magazine  of  grace. 

5  For  he  the  time  of  dearth  foresaw, 

And  made  provision  long  before  ; 
That  famish'd  souls  like  me  might  draw 
Supplies  from  his  unbounded  store. 

6  Now  on  his  bounty  I  depend. 

And  live  from  fear  of  dearth  secure  ; 
Maintain'd  by  such  a  mighty  Friend, 
I  cannot  want  till  he  is  poor. 


32U  Genesis.  Book  I. 

7  O  sinners,  hear  his  gracious  call ! 

His  mercy's  door  stands  open  wide  ; 
He  has  enough  to  feed  you  all, 

And  none  who  come  shall  be  deny'd. 

XII.      Josefiii    tnade    ktiown   to  /us    Brethren. 
Chap.  xli.  3,  4. 

1  Wh  e  n  Joseph  his  brethren  beheld. 

Afflicted  and  trembling  with  fear, 
His  heart  with  compassion  was  fiU'd  ; 

From  weeping  he  could  not  forbear. 
Awhile  his  behaviour  was  rough, 

To  bring  their  past  sin  to  their  mind  ; 
But  when  they  were  humbled  enough, 

He  hasten'd  to  show  himself  kind. 

2  How  little  they  thought  it  ^vas  he 

Whom  they  had  ill-treated  and  sold ! 
How  great  their  confusion  must  be 

As  soon  as  his  name  he  had  told  ! 
"  I'm  Joseph,  your  brother,"  he  said, 

"  And  still  to  my  heart  you  are  dear  ; 
"  You  sold  me,  and  thought  I  was  dead, 

"  But  God,  for  your  sakes,  sent  me  here." 

3  Though  greatly  distressed  before, 

When  charg'd  with  purloining  the  cup, 
They  now  were  confounded  much  more. 

Not  one  of  them  durst  to  look  up. 
"  Can  Joseph,  whom  we  would  have  slain, 

"  Forgive  us  the  evil  we  did ; 
"  And  will  he  our  households  maintain? 

"  O  this  is  a  brother  indeed  !" 

4  Thus  dragg'd  by  my  conscience,  I  came. 

And  laden  with  guilt,  to  the  Lord, 
Surroimded  with  terror  and  shame. 
Unable  to  utter  a  word. 


Hymn  12.  Genesis,  321 

At  first  he  look'd  stern  and  severe ; 

What  anguish  then  pierced  my  heart ! 
Expecting  each  moment  to  hear 

The  sentence,  "  Thou  cursed,  depart!"     . 

5  But,  oh  !  what  surprise  when  he  spoke, 

While  tenderness  beam'd  in  his  face ; 
My  heart  then  to  pieces  was  broke, 

O'erwhelm'd  and  confounded  by  grace : 
"  Poor  sinner,  I  know  thee  full  well, 

"  By  thee  I  was  sold  and  was  slain 
"  But  I  dy'd  to  redeem  thee  from  hell, 

"  And  raise  thee  in  glory  to  reign. 

6  "  I'm  Jesus,  whom  thou  hast  blasphem'd, 

*'  And  crucify 'd  often  afresh  ; 
"  But  let  me  henceforth  be  esteemed, 

"  Thy  brother,  thy  bone,  and  thy  flesh  : 
"  My  pardon  I  freely  bestow, 

*'  Thy  wants  I  will  fully  supply  ; 
"  1*11  guide  thee  and  guaid  thee  below, 

"  And  soon  will  remove  thee  on  high* 

7  *'  Go,  publish  to  sinners  around, 

"  That  they  may  be  willing  to  come, 
"  The  mercy  which  now  you  have  found, 

*'  And  tell  them  that  yet  there  is  room." 
Oh,  sinners,  the  message  obey  ! 

No  more  vain  excuses  pretend ; 
But  come,  without  further  delay, 

To  Jesus,  our  brother  and  friend. 


Vol.  III.  2  T 


3^  Exodus.  Book  I. 

EXODUS. 

XIII.      The  Bitter  Waters.     Chap.  XV.  23 — 25. 

1  Bitter,  indeed,  the  waters  are 

Which  in  this  desert  flow  ; 
Though  to  the  e3-e  they  promise  fair, 
They  taste  of  sin  and  wo. 

2  Of  pleasing  draughts  I  once  could  dream ; 

But,  now  awake,  I  find, 
That  sin  has  poison 'd  ev'ry  stream, 
And  left  a  curse  behind. 

3  But  there's  a  wonder-working  wood, 

I've  heard  believers  say. 
Can  make  these  bitter  waters  good, 
And  take  the  curse  away. 

4  The  virtues  of  this  healing  tree 

Are  known  and  priz'd  by  few  : 
Reveal  this  secret.  Lord,  to  me, 
That  I  may  prize  it  too. 

5  The  cross  on  which  the  Saviour  dy'd, 

And  conquer'd  for  his  saints  ; 
This  is  the  tree,  by  faith  apply  *d, 
Which  sweetens  all  complaints. 

6  Thousands  have  found  the  bless'd  effect, 

Nor  longer  mourn  their  lot ; 
While  on  his  sorrows  they  reflect. 
Their  own  are  all  forgot. 

7  When  they,  by  faith,  behold  the  cross, 

Though  many  griefs  tliey  meet  j 
They  draw  a  gain  from  ev'ry  loss. 
And  iind  the  bitter  sweet. 


Hymn  15.  £xoclus.  333 

XIV.  C.  Jehovah  Rofihi^ — I  am  th^  Lr>rd  that  heal- 
eth  thee.     Chrcp.  xv. 

1  Heal  us,  Immanuel,  here  we  are, 

Waiting  to  feel  thy  touch ; 
Deep  wounded  souis  to  thee  repair, 
And,  Saviour,  we  are  such. 

2  Our  faith  is  feeble,  we  confess, 

We  faintly  trust  thy  word ; 
But  wilt  thou  pity  us  the  less  ? 
Be  that  far  from  the  Lord  ! 

3  Remember  him  who  once  apply  *d, 

With  trembling,  for  relief; 
"  Lord,  I  believe,"  with  tears  he  cried, 
"  O  help  my  unbelief*," 

4  She  too,  who  touch'd  thee  in  the  press. 

And  healing  virtue  stole. 
Was  answer'd,  *'  Daughter,  go  in  peace, 
"  Thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole|." 

5  Conceal'd  amid  the  gath'ring  throng, 

She  would  have  shunn'd  thy  view  ; 
And  if  her  faith  was  firm  and  strong, 
Had  strong  misgivings  too. 

6  Like  her,  with  hopes  and  fears,  we  come, 

To  touch  thee  if  we  may ; 
Oh !  send  us  not  despairing  home, 
Send  none  unheal'd  away. 

XV.     Marina.     Chap.  xvi.    18. 

1  Manna  to  Israel  well  supply  d 
The  want  of  other  bread  ; 
While  God  is  able  to  provide. 
His  people  shall  be  fed. 

*  Mark  ix.  24.         f  Mark  v.  34. 


324  Exodus,  Book  I. 

2  (Thus  though  the  corn  and  wine  should  fail, 

And  creature-streams  be  dr}% 
The  pray  V  of  faith  will  still  prevail, 
For  blessings  from  on  high.) 

3  Of  his  kind  care  how  sweet  a  proof ! 

It  suited  ev'ry  taste  : 
Who  gather'd  most  had  just  enough, 
Enough,  who  gather'd  least. 

ii  'Tis  thus  our  gracious  Lord  provides 
Our  comforts  and  our  cares ; 
His  own  unerring  hand  provides. 
And  gives  us  each  our  shares. 

5  He  knows  how  much  the  weak  can  bear. 

And  helps  them  when  they  cry  ; 
The  strongest  have  no  strength  to  spare. 
For  such  he'll  strongly  try. 

6  Daily  they  saw  the  Manna  come. 

And  cover  all  the  ground  ; 
But  what  they  try'd  to  keep  at  home, 
Corrupted  soon  was  found. 

7  Vain  their  attempt  to  store  it  up, 

This  was  to  tempt  the  Lord  ; 
Israel  must  live  by  faith  imd  hope. 
And  not  upon  a  hoard. 


XVI,     Manna  hoarded.     Chap.  xvi.  20. 

I  The  Manna,  favour'd  Israel's  meat, 
Was  gather'd  day  by  day ; 
When  cill  the  host  was  serv'd,  the  heat 
Melted  tlie  rest  away. 


Hymn  17.  Exodus.  326 

2  In  vain  to  hoard  it  up  they  try'd, 

Against  to-morrow  came ; 
It  then  bred  worms  and  putrefy'd, 
And  prov'd  their  sin  and  shame. 

3  'Twas  daily  bread,  and  would  not  keep, 

But  must  be  still  renew'd  ; 
Faith  should  not  \\^ant  a  hoard  or  heap. 
But  trust  the  Lord  for  food. 

4  The  truths  by  which  the  soul  is  fed, 

Must  thus  be  had  afresh ; 
For  notions  resting  in  the  head 
Will  only  feed  the  flesh. 

5  However  true,  they  have  no  life 

Or  unction  to  impait ; 
They  breed  the  worms  of  pride  and  strife, 
But  camiot  cheer  the  heart. 

6  Nor  can  the  best  experience  past 

The  life  of  faidi  maintain ; 
The  brightest  hope  will  faint  at  last, 
Unless  supply 'd  again. 

7  Dear  Lord,  while  we  in  pray'r  are  found, 

Do  thou  the  Manna  give ; 

Oh !  let  it  fall  on  all  around, 

That  we  may  eat  and  live. 

XVII.     C.     Jehovah  JVissi, —  The  L,ord  my  banner. 
Chap.  xvii.  15. 

1  By  whom  was  David  taught 

To  aim  the  dreadful  blow. 
When  he  Goliath  fought. 

And  laid  the  Gittite  low  ? 
No  sword  nor  spear  the  stripling  took. 
But  chose  a  pebble  from  the  brook. 


Exodus.  Book  I. 

2  'Twas  Israel's  God  and  King, 

Who  sent  him  to  the  fight ; 
Who  gave  him  strength  to  sling, 

And  skill  to  aim  aright. 
Ye  feeble  saints,  your  strength  endures, 
Because  young  David's  God  is  yours. 

3  Who  order'd  Gideon  forth, 

To  storm  th'  invaders'  camp, 
With  arms  of  little  worth, 

A  pitcher  and  a  lamp*  ? 
The  trumpets  made  his  coming  known. 
And  all  the  host  was  overthrown. 

4  Oh !  I  have  seen  the  day, 

When,  with  a  single  word, 
God  helping  me  to  say. 

My  trust  is  in  the  Lord, 
My  soul  has  quell'd  a  thousand  foes, 
Fearless  of  all  that  could  oppose. 

5  But  unbelief,  self-will, 

Self-righteousness,  and  pride, 
How  often  do  they  steal 

M}'  -weapon  from  my  side ? 
Yet  David's  Lord,  and  Gideon's  Friend, 
Will  help  his  servant  to  the  end. 

XVIII.      The  Golden  Calf.     Chap,  xxxii.  4.  31. 

1  When  Israel  heard  the  fiery  law 
From  Sinai's  top  proclaim 'd, 
Their  hearts  seem'd  full  of  holy  awe, 
Their  stubborn  spirits  tam'd. 

*  Judges  vii.  20. 


Hymn  19.  Leviticus.  S27 

2  Yet,  as  forgetting  all  they  knew. 

Ere  forty  days  were  past, 
With  blazing  Sinai  still  in  view, 
A  molten  calf  they  cast. 

3  Yea,  Aaron,  God's  anointed  priest, 

Who  on  the  mount  had  been. 
He  durst  prepare  the  idol  beast, 
And  lead  them  on  to  sin. 

4  Lord,  what  is  man,  and  what  are  we, 

To  recompense  thee  thus  ! 
In  their  offence  our  own  we  see. 
Their  story  points  at  us. 

5  From  Sinai  Ave  heard  thee  speak, 

And  from  mount  Calv'ry  too  ; 
And  yet  to  idols  oft  we  seek. 
While  thou  art  in  oiu'  view. 

6  Some  golden  calf,  or  golden  dream. 

Some  fancied  creature-good. 
Presumes  to  share  the  heart  A^ith  him, 
W^ho  bought  the  whole  with  blood. 

7  Lord,  save  us  from  our  golden  calves, 

Our  sin  with  grief  we  own ; 
We  would  no  more  be  thine  by  halves, 
But  live  to  thee  alone. 

LEVITICUS. 

XIX.   The  true  Aaron.     Chap.  viii.  7 — 9- 

1  See  Aaron,  God's  anointed  priest. 
Within  the  vail  appear, 
In  robes  of  mystic  meaning  drest. 
Presenting  Israel's  prayer. 


32S  Leviticus.  Book  I. 

2  The  plate  of  gold  which  crowns  his  brows, 

His  holiness  describes ; 
His  breast  displays,  in  shining-  rows. 
The  names  of  all  the  tribes. 

3  With  the  atoning  blood  he  stands 

Before  the  mercy  seat ; 
And  clouds  of  incense  from  his  hands 
Arise  with  odour  sweet. 

4  Urim  and  Thummim  near  his  heart, 

In  rich  engravings  worn, 
The  sacred  light  of  truth  impai't, 
To  teach  and  to  adorn. 

5  Through  him  the  eye  of  faith  descries, 

A  greater  priest  than  he  : 
Thus  Jesus  pleads  above  the  skies, 
For  you,  my  friends,  and  me. 

6  He  bears  the  names  of  all  his  saints 

Deep  on  his  heart  engi^av'd  ; 
Attentive  to  the  state  and  wants 
Of  all  his  love  has  sav'd. 

7  In  him  a  holiness  complete, 

Light  and  perfections  shine  ; 
And  wisdom,  grace,  and  glory  meet ; 
A  Saviour  all  divine. 

8  The  blood,  which  as  a  priest  he  bear** 

For  sinners,  is  his  own  ; 
The  incense  of  his  prayers  and  tears 
Perfume  the  holy  throne. 

9  In  him  my  weaiy  soul  has  rest 

Though  I  am  weak  and  vile ; 
I  read  my  name  upon  his  breast. 
And  see  the  Father  smile. 


Hymn  20.  Kiwibers.  33$ 

NUMBERS. 

XX.     Balaam's  Wish*.     Chap,  xxiii.   10, 

1  How  blest  the  righteous  are 

When  they  resign  their  breath  I 
No  wonder  Balaam  wish'd  to  share 
In  such  a  happy  death. 

2  "  Oh!  let  me  die,"  said  he, 

"  The  death  the  righteous  do  ; 
"  When  life  is  ended,  let  me  be 
"  Found  with  the  faithful  few.'* 

8  The  force  of  truth,  how  great ! 
When  enemies  confess. 
None  but  the  righteous,  whom  they  hate, 
A  solid  hope  possess.^ 

4  But  Balaam's  wish  was  vain, 

His  heart  was  insincere ; 
He  thirsted  for  unrighteous  gain, 
And  sought  a  portion  here. 

5  He  seem*d  the  Lord  to  know, 

And  to  offend  him  loath  ; 
But  Mammon  prov'd  his  overthrow, 
For  none  can  serve  them  both. 

6  May  you,  my  friends,  and  I, 

Warning  from  hence  receive  ; 
If  like  the  righteous  we  would  diCj 
To  choose  the  life  they  live. 

*  Book  iii.  Hym  7 1 . 

Toi.  III.  9  U 


330  Joshua.  Book  I. 

JOSHUA. 

XXI.      Gibeon.     Chap.  x.  6. 

1  When  Joshua,  by  God's  command, 
Invaded  Canaan's  guilty  land, 
Gibeon,  unlike  the  nations  round, 
Submission  made,  and  mercy  found. 

2  Their  stubborn  neighbours  who,  enrag'd. 
United  war  against  them  wag'd, 

By  Joshua  soon  were  overthro^vn. 
For  Gibeon's  cause  was  now  his  own. 

3  He  from  whose  arm  they  ruin  fear'd, 
Their  leader  and  ally  appear'd ; 

An  Emblem  of  the  Saviour's  grace, 
To  those  who  humbly  seek  his  face. 

'     4  Themenof  Gibeon  wore  disguise, 

And  gain'd  their  peace  by  framing  lies  ; 

For  Joshua  had  no  power  to  spare, 

If  he  had  known  from  whence  they  were. 

5  But  Jesus  invitations  sends. 
Treating  with  rebels  as  his  friends ; 
And  holds  the  promise  forth  in  view, 
To  all  who  for  his  mercy  sue. 

6  Too  long  his  goodness  I  disdain'd, 
Yet  went  at  last  and  peace  obtain'd ; 
But  soon  the  noise  of  war  I  heaixl, 
And  former  friends  in  arms  appear'd. 

7  Weak  in  myself,  for  help  I  cried, 

"  Lord,  I  am  press'd  on  ev'ry  side ; 

"  The  cause  is  thine,  they  fight  with  me, 

"  But  ev'ry  bloAv  is  aim'd  at  thee.". 


Hymn  22.  Judges.  331 

8  With  speed  to  my  relief  he  came, 
And  put  my  enemies  to  sliame  ; 
Thus  sav'd  by  grace  I  Hve  to  sing 
The  love  and  triumphs  of  my  King. 

JUDGES. 

XXII.     C.     Jehovah  Shaleni^ — The  Lord  send 
Peace.     Chap.  vi.  24. 

1  Jesus,  whose  blood  so  freely  streamed 

To  satisfy  the  law's  demand, 
By  thee  from  guilt  and  wrath  redeem'd. 
Before  the  Father's  face  I  stand. 

2  To  reconcile  offending  man, 

Make  justice  drop  her  angry  rod ; 
What  creature  could  have  form'd  the  plan, 
Or  who  fulfil  it,  but  a  God  ? 

3  No  di'op  remains  of  all  the  curse, 

For  \vTetches  who  deserv'd  the  whole  ; 
No  arrows  dipt  in  wrath,  to  pierce 
The  guilty,  but  returning  soul. 

4  Peace  by  such  means  so  deai'ly  bought, 

What  rebel  could  have  hop'd  to  see  ? 
Peace,  by  his  injur 'd  Sov 'reign  wrought, 
His  Sov 'reign  fasten 'd  to  a  tree. 

5  NoAv,  Lord,  thy  feeble  worm  prepare  ! 

For  strife  with  earth  and  hell  begins ; 
Confirm  and  gird  me  for  the  war. 

They  hate  the  soul  that  hates  his  sins. 

6  Let  them  in  horrid  league  agree  ! 

They  may  assault,  they  may  distress ; 
But  cannot  quench  thy  love  to  me, 
Nor  rob  me  of  the  Lord  my  peace. 


Judges;  Cook  I. 

XXIII.     Gideon's  Fleece.     Chap.  vi.  37 — 40. 

1  Th  E  signs  which  God  to  Gideon  gave, 
His  holy  sov'reignty  made  known^ 
That  He  alone  has  povv'r  to  save, 
And  claims  the  glory  as  his  own, 

%  The  dew  which  first  the  fleece  had  fill'd^ 
When  all  the  earth  was  diy  around. 
Was  from  it  afterwards  withheld, 
And  only  fell  upon  the  ground. 

3  To  Israel  thus  the  heavenly  dew 

Of  saving-truth  was  long  restrain*d ; 
Oi  which  the  Gentiles  nothing  knew. 
But  dry  and  desolate  remain'd. 

4  But  now  the  Gentiles  have  receiv'd 

The  balmy  dew  of  Gospel  peace  ; 
And  Israel,  who  his  Spirit  griev'd,. 
Is  left  a  dry  and  empty  fleece. 

5  This  dew  still  falls  at  his  command^^ 

To  keep  his  chosen  plants  aliye  ; 
They  shall,  tliough  in  a  thirsty  land, 
Like  willows  by  the  waters  thiuve*, 

§  But  chiefly  when  his  people  meet. 

To  hear  his  word  and  seek  his  face  j 

The  gentle  dew,  with  influence  sweet, 

Descends  and  nourishes  their  grace. 

7  But,  ah  !  what  numbers  still  are  dead, 

Though  under  means  of  grace  they  lie  !   » 
The  dew  still  falling  round  their  head. 
And  yet  their  heait  untoucli'd  and  diy^ 

*  Isa,  xliv.  4. 


Hymn  24.  Jurfges.  33|| 

8  Dear  Saviour,  hear  us  when  we  call, 
To  wTestiing  pray'r  an  answer  give ; 
Pour  down  thy  dew  upon  us  all. 
That  all  may  feel,  and  ail  may  live. 


XXIV.     Samson's  Lion.     Chap.  xiv.  8. 

i  The  lion  that  on  Samson  roar'd 
And  thirsted  for  his  blood, 
With  honey  afterwards  was  stor'd, 
And  furnish'd  him  with  food. 

2  Believers,  as  they  pass  along. 

With  many  lions  meet, 
But  gather  sweetness  from  the  strong, 
And  from  the  eater,  meat. 

3  The  lions  rage  and  roar  in  vain^ 

For  Jesus  is  their  shield; 
Their  losses  prove  a  certain  gain. 
Their  troubles  comfort  yield. 

4  The  world  and  Satan  join  their  strength, 

To  fill  their  souls  with  fears  : 
But  crops  of  joy  they  reap  at  length, 
From  what  they  sow  in  tears. 

5  Afflictions  make  them  love  the  word, 

Slir  up  their  hearts  to  pray'r  ; 
And  many  precious  proofs  afford 
Of  their  Redeemer's  care. 

$  The  lions  roar,  but  cannot  kill ; 
Then  fear  them  not,  my  friends. 
They  bring  us,  though  against  their  will, 
The  hoiiey  Jesus  sends. 


mH 


S3i  1  Samuel,  Book  I. 

I.  SAMUEL. 

XXV.  Hannah  ;  or^the  Throne  of  Grace.  Chap.  i.  18. 

1  When  Hannali,  press'd  with  grief, 

Pour'd  forth  her  soul  in  pray'r, 
She  quickly  found  relief, 

And  left  her  burden  there : 
Lik^e  her,  in  ev'ry  trying  case, 
Let  us  approach  the  throne  of  grace. 

2  When  she  began  to  pray. 

Her  heart  was  pain'd  and  sad, 
But,  ere  she  went  away. 

Was  comforted  and  glad : 
In  trouble,  what  a  resting-place 
Have  they  who  know  the  throne  of  grace  I 

3  Though  men  and  devils  rage, 

And  threaten  to  devour ; 
The  saints,  from  age  to  age. 

Are  safe  from  ail  their  po  ,v*r ; 
Fresh  strengtii  the}-  g<.dn  to  run  their  race, 
By  waiting  at  the  throne  of  grace. 

4  Eli  her  case  mistook ; 

How  was  her  spirit  mov'd 
B}-  his  unkind  rebuke  ? 

But  God  her  cause  approv'd. 
We  need  not  fear  a  creature's  face, 
While  welcome  at  a  throne  of  grace. 

5  She  was  not  fiU'd  widi  wine, 

As  Eli  rashly  thought ; 
But  with  a  faith  divine, 

And  found  the  help  she  sought : 
Though  men  despise,  and  call  us  base, 
Still  let  us  ply  the  throne  of  grace. 


Hymn  26.  1  SamueL  33S 

6  Men  have  not  pow'r  nor  skill 

With  troubled  souls  to  bear ; 
Though  they  express  good- will, 

Poor  comforters  they  ai^e : 
But  swelling  sorrows  sink  apace, 
When  we  approach  the  throne  of  grace. 

7  Numbers  before  have  try'd, 

And  found  the  promise  true ; 
Nor  yet  one  been  deny'd, 

Then  why  should  I  or  you  ? 
Let  us,  by  faith,  their  footsteps  trace. 
And  hasten  to  the  throne  of  grace. 

8  As  fogs  obscure  the  light, 

And  taint  the  morning  air, 
But  soon  are  put  to  flight, 

If  the  bright  sun  appear  ; 
Thus  Jesus  will  our  troubles  chase, 
By  shining  from  the  tlirone  of  grace*. 

XXVI.     Dagon  before  the  Ark.     Chap.  v.  4,  5. 

1  Wh  e  n  first  to  make  my  heart  his  own, 

The  Lord  reveal'd  his  mighty  grace 
Self  reign'd,  like  Dagon,  on  the  throne, 
But  could  not  long  maintain  its  place. 

2  It  fell,  and  o^vn'd  the  pow'r  divine, 

(Grace  can,  with  ease,  the  vict'ry  gain,) 
But  soon  this  wretched  heart  of  mine, 
Contrived  to  set  it  up  again. 

3  Again  the  Lord  his  name  proclaim'd, 

And  brought  the  hateful  idol  low ; 
Then  self,  like  Dagon,  broken,  maim'd, 
Seem'd  to  receive  a  mortal  blow. 
*  Book  iL  Hvmn  6 1 . 


3S6  1  Samuet  Book  I* 

4  Yet  self  is  not  of  life  bereft, 

Nor  ceases  to  oppose  his  will ; 
Though  but  a  maimed  stump  be  left, 
'Tis  Dagon,  *tis  an  idol  still. 

5  Lord !  must  I  always  guilty  prove. 

And  idols  in  my  heart  have  room*  f 
Oh !  let  the  fire  of  heav'nly  love 
The  very  stump  of  self  consume. 

XXVII.      The  Milch  Kine  drawing  the  Jrk  :  Faith's 
surrender  of  all.     Chap.  vi.  12. 

1  Th  e  kine  unguided  went 

By  the  directest  road ; 
When  the  Philistines  homeward  sent 
The  ai'k  of  Israel's  God. 

2  Lowing  they  pass'd  along, 

And  left  their  calves  shut  up  ; 
Tiiey  felt  an  instinct  for  their  youngs 
But  would  not  turn  or  stop. 

3  Shall  brutes,  devoid  of  thought, 

Their  Maker's  will  obey  ; 
And  we,  who  by  his  grace  are  taught, 
More  stubborn  pro^  e  than  they. 

4  He  shed  his  precious  blood, 

To  make  us  his  alone ; 
If  wash'd  in  that  atoning  flood;> 
We  are  no  more  our  owii. 

5  If  he  his  will  reveal, 

Let  us  obey  his  call ; 
And  think,  whate'er  the  flesh  may  feel^ 
His  love  deserves  our  all. 
*  Hosea  xiv.  8. 


Hymn  28.  1  Samuel.  S$i 

6  We  should  maintain  in  view 

His  glory,  as  our  end  ; 
Too  much  we  cannot  bear,  or  do, 
For  such  a  matchless  friend. 

7  His  saints  should  stand  prepar'd 

In  duty's  path  to  run ; 
Nor  count  their  greatest  trials  hard, 
So  that  his  will  be  done. 

8  With  Jesus  for  our  guide, 

The  path  is  safe,  though  rough ; 
The  promise  says,  "  I  will  provide," 
And  faith  replies,  "  Enough !" 

XXVIII.     Saul's  jinnour.     Chap.  xvii.  38—40. 

1  When  first  my  soul  enlisted, 

My  Saviour's  foes  to  fight, 
Mistaken  friends  insisted 

I  was  not  arm'd  aright : 
So  Saul  advised  David 

He  certainly  would  fail, 
Nor  could  his  life  be  saved 

Without  a  coat  of  mail. 

2  But  David,  though  he  yielded 

To  put  the  armour  on. 
Soon  found  he  could  not  wield  it, 

And  ventur'd  forth  with  none. 
With  only  sling  and  pebble. 

He  fought  the  fight  of  faith  j 
The  weapons  seem'd  but  feeble^ 

Yet  prov'd  Goliath's  death. 


Vot.  III.  2  X 


338  1  Samuel.  Book  T. 

3  Had  I  by  him  been  guided. 

And  quickly  thrown  away 
The  armour  men  provided, 

I  might  have  gain'd  the  day  ; 
But  arm'd  as  they  advis'd  me. 

My  expectations  fail'd ; 
My  enemy  surpris'd  me, 

And  had  almost  prevail 'd. 

4  Funiish'd  with  books  and  notions, 

And  arguments  and  pride, 
I  practis'd  all  my  motions, 

And  Satan's  pow'r  defy'd : 
But  soon  perceiv'd,  with  trouble, 

That  these  would  do  no  good  ; 
Iron  to  him  is  stubble, 

And  brass  like  rotten  wood*. 

5  I  triumph 'd  at  a  distance, 

While  he  was  out  of  sight, 
But  faint  was  my  resistance. 

When  forc'd  to  joirt  iii  fight : 
He  broke  my  sword  in  shivers, 

And  pierc'd  my  boasted  shield. 
Laugh *d  at  my  vain  endeavours, 

And  drove  me  from  the  field- 

6  Satan  will  not  be  braved 

By  such  a  worm  as  I ; 
Then  let  me  learn  with  David 

To  trust  in  the  Most  High ; 
To  plead  the  name  of  Jesus, 

And  use  the  sling  of  pray'r  : 
Thus  arm'd,  when  Satan  sees  us, 

He*ll  tremble  and  despair. 
*  Job  xli.  27. 


Hymn  29.  2  Samuel.  339 

II.  SAMUEL. 

XXIX,     David's  Fall.     Chap.  xi.  27. 

1  How  David,  when  by  sin deceiv'd, 

From  bad  to  Avorse  went  on  ! 
For  when  the  holy  Spirit's  griev'd, 
Our  strength  and  guard  are  gone. 

2  His  eye,  on  Bathsheba  once  fix'd, 

With  poison  fiU'd  his  soul ; 
He  ventur'd  on  adult'ry  next. 
And  murder  crown'd  the  whole. 

3  So  from  a  spark  of  fire  at  first, 

That  has  not  been  descry 'd, 
A  dreadful  flame  has  often  burst. 
And  ravag'd  far  and  wide. 

4  When  sin  deceives,  it  hardens  too; 

For,  though  he  vainly  sought 
To  hide  his  crimes  from  public  view, 
Of  God  fie  little  thought. 

5  He  neither  would,  nor  could,  repent. 

No  true  compunction  felt, 
'Till  God,  in  mercy,  Nathan  sent, 
His  stubborn  heart  to  melt, 

6  The  parable  held  forth  a  fact, 

Design*d  his  case  to  show ; 
But,  though  the  picture  was  exact, 
Himself  he  did  not  know. 

7  "  Thou  art  the  man,"  the  prophet  said  ; 

That  word  his  slumber  broke  : 
And  when  he  own'd  his  sin,  and  pray'd, 
The  Lord  forgiveness  spoke. 


$40  2  Samuel.  Book  I. 

8  Let  those  who  think  they  stand  beware, 
For  David  stood  before  ; 
Nor  let  the  fallen  soul  despair, 
For  mercy  can  restore. 

XXX.     Is  this  thy  kindness  to  thy  friend  ? 
Chap.  xvi.  17. 

1  Poor,  weak,  and  worthless,  though  I  ani, 

I  have  a  rich,  almighty  Friend  ; 
Jesus,  the  Saviour,  is  his  name. 
He  freely  loves,  and  without  end. 

2  He  ransom 'd  me  from  hell  with  blood, 

And  by  his  powV  my  foes  controll'd ; 
He  found  me  wand'ring  fai'  from  God, 
And  brought  me  to  his  chosen  fold. 

3  He  cheers  my  heart,  my  want  supplies, 

AikI  says,  that  I  shall  shortly  be 
Enthron'd  with  him  above  the  skies— 
Oh !  what  a  friend  is  Clirist  to  me ! 

4i  But,  ah  !  my  inmost  spirit  mourns, 

And  well  my  eyes  with  tears  may  swim, 
To  think  of  my  perverse  returns ; 
I've  been  a  faithless  friend  to  him. 

$  Often  my  gracious  Friend  I  grieve, 
Neglect,  distrust,  and  disobey, 
And  often  Satan's  lies  believe. 

Sooner  than  all  my  Friend  can  say, 

6  He  bids  me  always  freely  come, 
And  promises  whate'er  I  ask  : 
But  I  am  straiten'd,  cold,  and  dumb. 
And  count  my  privilege  a  task. 


Hymn  31.  1  Kings. .  341 

7  Before  the  world,  that  hates  his  cause, 

My  treach'rous  heart  has  throbb'd  with 
shame ; 
Loath  to  forego  the  world's  applause, 
I  hardly  dare  avow  his  name. 

S  Sure,  were  not  I  most  vile  and  base, 
I  could  not  thus  my  Friend  requite  ! 
And  were  not  he  the  God  of  grace. 

He'd,  frown  and  spurn  me  from  his  sight. 

I.  KINGS. 

XXXI.     Ask  what  I  shall  give  thee.     Chap.  iii.  5. 

1  Come,  my  soul,  thy  suit  prepare, 
Jesus  loves  to  answer  pray'r, 

He  himself  has  bid  thee  pray, 
Therefore  will  not  say  thee  nay. 

2  Thou  art  coming  to  a  King, 
Large  petitions  with  thee  bring*  ; 
For  his  grace  and  pow'r  are  such. 
None  can  ever  ask  too  much. 

3  With  my  burden  I  begin, 
Lord,  remove  this  load  of  sin  ! 
Let  thy  blood,  for  sinners  spilt, 
Set  my  conscience  free  from  guilt. 

4  Lord !  I  come  to  thee  for  rest, 
Take  possession  of  my  breast ; 

There  thy  blood-bought  right  maintain. 
And  without  a  rival  reign. 

a  As  the  image  in  the  glass 
Answers  the  beholder's  face  ; 
Thus  unto  my  heart  appear, 
Print  thine  own  resemblance  there. 

*  Psalm  Ixxxi.  10. 


342  1  Kings,  Book  I. 

6  While  I  am  a  pilgrim  here, 
Let  thy  love  my  spirit  cheer  ; 

As  my  Guide,  my  Guard,  my  Friend, 
Lead  me  to  my  journey's  end. 

7  Show  me  what  I  have  to  do, 
Ev'ry  hour  my  strength  renew ; 
Let  me  live  a  life  of  faith, 

Let  me  die  thy  people's  death. 


XXXII.     Another. 

1  If  Solomon  for  wisdom  pray'd, 

The  Lord  before  had  made  him  wise  j 
Else  he  another  choice  had  made. 

And  ask'd  for  what  tlie  worldlings  prize. 

2  Thus  he  invites  his  people  still ; 

He  first  instructs  them  how  to  choose. 
Then  bids  them  ask  whate'er  they  will, 
Assur'd  that  He  will  not  refuse. 

3  Our  wishes  would  our  ruin  prove, 

Could  we  our  wretched  choice  obtain^ 
Before  we  feel  the  Saviour's  love 
Kindle  our  love  to  him  again. 

4  But  when  our  hearts  perceive  his  worth, 

Desires,  till  then  unknown,  take  place ; 
Our  spirits  cleave  no  more  to  earth. 
But  pant  for  holiness  and  grace. 

5  And  dost  thou  say,  "  Ask  what  thou  wilt  ?" 

Lord,  I  would  seize  the  golden  hour  ; 
I  pray  to  be  releas'd  from  guilt. 

And  freed  from  sin  and  Satan's  pow'r. 


Hymn  33.  1  Kings.  5A3 

6  More  of  thy  presence,  Lord,  impart. 

More  of  thine  image  let  me  bear ; 
JErect  thy  throne  within  my  heart, 
And  reign  without  a  rival  there. 

7  Give  me  to  read  my  pardon  seal'd, 

And  from  thy  joy  to  draw  my  strength; 
To  have  thy  boundless  love  reveal 'd 
In  all  its  height,  and  breadth,  and  length. 

8  Grant  these  requests,  I  ask  no  more, 

But  to  thy  care  the  rest  resign  ; 
Sick,  or  in  health,  or  rich,  or  poor. 
All  shall  be  well  if  thou  art  mine. 


XXXIII.     JnotAer. 

1  Behold  the  throne  of  grace ! 
The  promise  calls  me  near ; 

There  Jesus  shows  a  smiling  face, 
And  w^ts  to  answer  pray'r. 

2  That  rich  atoning  blood 
Which  sprinkled  round  I  see. 

Provides  for  those  who  come  to  God 
An  all-prevailing  plea, 

3  My  soul,  ask  what  thou  wilt, 
Thou  canst  not  be  too  bold ; 

Since  his  own  blood  for  thee  he  spilt, 
What  else  can  he  withhold  ? 

4  Beyond  thy  utmost  wants 
His  love  and  pow'r  can  bless ; 

To  praying  souls  he  always  grants 
More  than  they  can  express. 


844  1  Ki7igs.  Book  J. 

5  Since  'tis  the  Lord's  command, 
My  mouth  I  open  wide  ; 

Lord,  open  thou  thy  bounteous  hand. 
That  I  may  be  supply'd. 

6  Thine  image.  Lord,  bestow, 
Thy  presence  and  thy  love  ; 

I  ask  to  serve  thee  here  below, 
And  reign  with  thee  above. 

7  Teach  me  to  live  by  faith. 
Conform  my  will  to  thine  ; 

Let  me  victorious  be  in  death, 
And  then  in  glory  shine. 

8  If  thou  these  blessings  give, 
And  wilt  my  portion  be. 

Cheerful  the  world's  poor  toys  I  leave 
To  them  who  know  not  thee. 


XXXIV.     Queen  of  Sheba.     Chap.  x.  I-*i9 

1  From  Sheba  a  distant  report 

Of  Solomon's  glory  and  fame, 
Invited  the  queen  to  his  court. 

But  all  was  outdone  when  she  came  ; 
She  cry'd,  with  a  pleased  surprise. 

When  first  she  before  him  appear'd^ 
"  How  much  what  I  see  with  my  eyes 

*'  Sui-passes  the  rumour  I  heard  !" 

2  When  once  to  Jerusalem  come, 

The  treasure  and  train  she  had  brought. 
The  wealth  she  possessed  at  home. 
No  longer  had  place  in  her  thought ; 


Hymn  34.  1  Kings. 

His  house,  his  attendants,  his  throne, 
All  struck  her  with  wonder  luid  awe  ; 

The  glory  of  Solomon  shone 
In  every  object  she  saw. 

3  But  Solomon  most  she  admir'd. 

Whose  spirit  conducted  the  whole ; 
His  wisdom,  which  God  had  inspir'd, 

His  bounty  and  greatness  of  soul ; 
Of  all  the  hard  questions  she  put, 

A  ready  solution  he  show'd ; 
Exceeded  her  wish  and  her  suit, 

And  more  than  she  ask'd  him  bestow'd^ 

4  Thus  I,  when  the  Gospel  proclaimed 

The  Saviour's  great  name  in  my  cars, 
The  wisdom  for  which  he  is  fam'd, 

The  love  which  to  sinners  he  bears ; 
I  long'd,  and  I  was  not  deny'd. 

That  I  in  his  presence  might  bow : 
I  saw,  and  transported  I  cry'd, 

"  A  greater  than  Solomon  Thou !" 

5  My  conscience  no  comfort  could  find, 

By  doubt  and  hard  questions  oppos'd ; 
But  he  restor'd  peace  to  my  mind. 

And  answer'd  each  doubt  I  propos'd : 
Beholding  me  poor  and  distress'd. 

His  bounty  supply 'd  all  my  wants  ; 
My  pray'r  could  have  never  express'd 

So  much  as  this  Solomon  grants. 

5  I  heard,  and  was  slow  to  believe, 
But  now  with  my  eyes  I  behold 
Much  more  than  my  heart  could  conceive. 
Or  language  coUld  ever  have  told, 

VoR.  HI.  2  Y 


S'iO  1  Kings.  Book  I. 

How  happy  thy  servants  must  be, 
Who  always  before  thee  appear  \ 

Vouchsafe,  Lord,  this  blessing  to  me, 
I  find  it  is  good  to  be  here. 


XXXV.     Elijah  fed  by  Ravens*.     Chap.  xvii.  6. 

1  Elijah's  example  declares, 

Whatever  distress  may  betide, 
The  saints  may  commit  all  their  cares 

To  Him  who  will  surely  provide. 
When  rain  long  withheld  from  the  earth 

Occasion'd  a  famine  of  bread, 
The  prophet,  secur'd  from  the  dearth, 

By  ravens  was  constantly  fed. 

2  More  likely  to  rob,  than  to  feed, 

Were  ravens  who  live  upon  prey  ; 
But  when  the  Lord's  people  have  need, 

His  goodness  will  find  out  a  way  : 
This  instance  to  those  may  seem  strange, 

Who  know  not  how  faith  can  prevail ; 
But  sooner  all  nature  shall  change. 

Than  one  of  God's  promises  fail. 

3  Nor  is  it  a  singular  case, 

The  wonder  is  often  renew 'd ; 
And  many  can  say  to  his  praise, 

He  sends  them  by  ravens  their  food ; 
Thus  worldlings,  though  ravens  indeed. 

Though  greedy  and  selfish  their  mind, 
If  God  has  a  servant  to  feed. 

Against  their  own  wills  can  be  kuid. 
*  Book  iii.  Hvmn  47. 


Hymn  36.  1  Kings.  347 

4  Thus  Satan,  that  raven  unclean, 

Who  croaks  in  the  ears  of  the  saints, 
Compell'd  by  a  power  unseen, 

Administers  oft  to  their  wants  : 
God  teaches  them  how  to  find  food 

From  all  the  temptations  they  feel ; 
This  raven,  who  thirsts  for  my  blood, 

Has  help'd  me  to  many  a  meal. 

5  How  safe,  and  how  happy  are  they, 

Who  on  the  good  Shepherd  rely  ! 
He  gives  them  out  strength  for  their  day, 

Their  wants  he  will  surely  supply  : 
He  ravens  and  lions  can  tame, 

All  creatures  obey  his  command ; 
Then  let  me  rejoice  in  his  name. 

And  leave  all  my  cares  in  his  hand. 


XXXVI.  The  Meal  and  Cruse  of  Oil.  Chap.  xvii.  16. 

1  By  the  poor  widow's  oil  and  meal 

Elijah  was  sustain'd ; 
Though  small  the  stock,  it  lasted  well, 
For  God  the  store  maintain'd. 

2  It  seem'd  as  if,  from  day  to  day, 

They  were  to  eat  and  die ; 
But  still,  though  in  a  secret  way. 
He  sent  a  fresh  supply. 

3  Thus  to  his  poor  he  still  will  give 

Just  for  the  present  hour ; 
But  for  to-morrow  they  must  Yi\Q 
Upon  liis  word  and  pow'r. 


^^  2  Kings.  Rqok  f , 

4  No  bam  nor  store-house  they  possess 

On  which  they  can  depend ; 
Yet  have  no  cause  to  fear  distress, 
For  Jesus  is  their  friend. 

5  Then  let  not  doubts  your  mind  assail, 

Remember  God  has  said, 
^'  The  cruse  and  barrel  shall  not  fail, 
*'  My  people  shall  be  fed." 

6  And  thus,  though  faint  it  often  seems, 

He  keeps  their  grace  alive  ; 
Supply 'd  by  his  refreshing  streams. 
Their  dying  hopes  revive. 

7  Though  in  ourselves  we  have  no  stock., 

The  Lord  is  nigh  to  save  ; 
His  door  flies  open  when  we  knock, 
And  'tis  but  ask  and  have. 

n.   KINGS. 

XXXVJI.  Jericho  ,  or^  the  Waters  heated. 
Chap.  ii.  19—22. 

1  Thouqh  Jericho  pleasantly  stood, 

And  look'd  like  a  promising  soil, 
The  harvest  produc'd  little  food, 

To  answer  the  husbandman's  toil. 
The  water  some  property  had, 

Which  poisonous  prov'd  to  the  ground  ^ 
The  springs  were  corrupted  and  bad. 

The  streams  spread  a  barrenness  round« 

2  But  soon  by  the  cruse  and  the  salt, 

Prepar'd  by  Elisha's  command. 
The  water  was  cur'd  of  its  fault. 
And  plenty  enriched  the  land : 


Hymn  37.  2  Kings.  349 

An  emblem  sure  this  of  the  grace 
On  fruitless  dead  sinners  bestovv'd ; 

For  man  is  in  Jericho's  case, 
Till  cur'd  by  the  mercy  of  God. 

3  How  noble  a  creature  he  seems  ; 

What  knowledge,  invention,  and  skill  i 
How  large  and  extensive  his  schemes  ! 

How  much  can  he  do  if  he  will ! 
His  zeal  to  be  learned  and  wise 

Will  yield  to  no  limits  or  bars ; 
He  measures  the  earth  and  the  skies, 

And  numbers  and  marshals  the  stars^ 

4  Yet  still  he  is  barren  of  good ; 

In  vain  are  his  talents  and  art ; 
For  sin  has  infected  his  blood, 

And  poison'd  the  streams  of  his  heart : 
Though  cockatrice  eggs  he  can  hatch. 

Or,  spider-like,  cobwebs  can  weave*, 
'Tis  inadness  to  labour  and  watch 

For  what  will  destroy  or  deceive. 

5  But  grace,  like  the  salt  in  the  cruse, 

When  cast  in  the  spring  of  the  soul ; 
A  wonderful  change  will  produce, 

Diffusing  new  life  through  the  whole  : 
The  wilderness  blooms  like  a  rose. 

The  heart  which  was  vile  and  abhorr'd, 
Now  fruitful  and  beautiful  grows. 

The  gaiden  and  joy  of  the  Lord. 
*  Isa. lix.  5. 


350  2  Kings.  Book  I. 

XXXVIII.     A'aaman.     Chap.  v.  14. 

1  Before  EHsha's  gate 

The  Syrian  leper  stood  ; 
But  could  not  brook  to  wait, 

He  deem'd  himself  too  good : 
He  thought  the  prophet  would  attend, 
And  not  to  him  a  message  send. 

2  Have  Ithisjournc}^  come, 

And  will  he  not  be  seen  ? 
I  were  as  well  at  home, 

Would  washing  make  mc  clean  ; 
Why  must  I  wash  in  Jordan's  flood  ? 
Damascus'  rivers  are  as  good. 

3  Thus,  by  his  foolish  pride, 

He  almost  miss'd  a  cure  ; 
Howe'cr  at  length  he  try'd, 

And  found  the  method  sure  : 
Soon  as  his  pride  was  brought  to  yield, 
The  leprosy  was  quickly  heal'd. 

4  Leprous  and  proud  as  he, 

To  Jesus  thus  I  came, 
From  sin  to  set  me  free. 

When  first  I  heard  his  fame  : 
Surely,  thought  I,  my  pompous  train 
Of  vows  and  tears  will  notice  gain. 

5  My  heart  devis'd  the  way 

Which  I  suppos'd  he'd  take  ; 
And  when  I  found  delav, 

Was  ready  to  go  back. 
Had  he  some  painful  task  enjoin  d, 
I  to  performance  seepi'd  inclin'd. 


Hymn  39.  2  Khigs.  351 

6  When  by  his  word  he  spake, 

"  That  fountain  open'd  see ; 
"  'Tvvas  open'd  for  thy  sake, 

"  Go  wash,  and  thou  art  free  :'* 
Oh !  how  did  my  proud  heart  gainsay, 
I  fear'd  to  trust  this  simple  way  ! 

7  At  length  I  trial  made. 

When  I  had  much  endur'd ; 
The  message  I  obey'd, — 

I  wash'd,  and  I  was  cured : 
Sinners,  this  healing  fountain  try. 
Which  cleans'd  a  wretch  so  vile  as  I. 


XXXIX.     The  Borrowed  Axe.     Chap.  vi.  5,  6. 

1  Th  e  prophet's  sons,  in  times  of  old, 

Though  to  appearance  poor, 
Were  rich  without  possessing  gold, 
And  honour'd,  though  obscure. 

2  In  peace  their  daily  bread  they  eat. 

By  honest  labour  earn'd  ; 
While  daily  at  Elisha's  feet 

They  grace  and  wisdom  learn 'd. 

3  The  prophet's  presence  cheer'd  their  toil, 

They  watch'd  the  words  he  spoke, 
Whether  they  turn'd  the  furrow'd  soil, 
Or  fell'd  the  spreading  oak. 

4  Once,  as  they  listen'd  to  his  theme, 

Their  conference  was  stopp'd  ; 
For  one  beneath  the  yielding  stream 
A  borrow'd  axe  had  dropp'd. 


353  2  Kings.  Book  t, 

5  "  Alas !  it  was  not  mine,"  he  said, 

"  How  shall  I  make  it  good  ?" 
Elisha  heard,  and  when  he  pray'd, 
The  iron  swam  like  wood. 

6  If  God,  in  such  a  small  affair, 

A  miracle  performs, 
It  shows  his  condescending  care 
Of  poor  unworthy  worms. 

7  Though  kings  and  nations  in  his  view 

Are  but  as  motes  and  dust, 
His  eye  and  ear  are  fix'd  on  you, 
Who  in  his  mercy  trust. 

8  Not  one  ccmcern  of  ours  is  small, 

If  we  belong  to  him ; 
To  teach  us  this,  the  Lord  of  all 
Once  made  the  iron  swim. 


XL.     More  noith  us  than  loith  them.     Chap.  vi.   16. 

1  Alas!  Elisha's  servant  cry 'd, 
When  he  the  Syrian  army  spy*d  : 
But  he  was  soon  releas'd  from  care, 
In  answer  to  the  prophet's  pray  r. 

2  Straightway  he  saw,  with  other  eyes, 
A  greater  army  from  the  skies, 

A  fier}'^  guard  around  the  hill ; 
Thus  are  the  saints  preserved  still. 

3  When  Satan  and  his  host  appear, 
Like  him,  of  old,  I  faint  and  fear ; 
Like  him,  by  faith,  with  joy  I  see, 
A  greater  host  engag'd  for  me. 


Hyttin  41.  1  Chronicles.  363 

4  The  saints  espouse  my  cause  by  pray'r. 
The  angels  make  my  soul  their  care ; 
Mine  is  the  promise  seal'd  with  blood) 
And  Jesus  lives  to  make  it  good. 

I.  CHRONICLES. 

XLI.     Faith's  Review  and  Expectation.     Ch.  xvii. 
16,   17. 

1  Amazing  grace  !  (how  sweet  the  sound,) 

That  sav'd  a  wretch  like  me  ! 
I  once  was  lost,  but  now  am  found, 
Was  blind,  but  now  I  see. 

2  'Twas  grace  that  taught  my  heart  to  fear, 

And  grace  my  fears  reliev'd  ; 
How  precious  did  that  grace  appear 
The  hour  I  first  belie v'd  ! 

3  Through  many  dangers,  toils,  and  snafesj 

I  have  already  come ; 
'Tis  grace  has  brought  me  safe  thus  far. 
And  grace  will  lead  me  home. 

4  The  Lord  has  promised  good  to  me, 

His  word  my  hope  secures  : 
He  will  my  shield  and  portion  be, 
As  long  as  life  endures. 

5  Yes,  when  this  flesh  and  heart  shall  fail, 

And  mortal  life  shall  cease, 
I  shall  possess,  within  the  vail, 
A  life  of  joy  and  peace. 

6  The  earth  shall  soon  dissolve  like  snow, 

The  sun  forbeai'  to  shine ; 
But  God,  who  call'd  me  here  below, 
Will  be  for  ever  mine. 
V«L.  IIL  ^  Z 


354  NeJiemiaJu  Book  I, 


NEHEMIAH. 

XLII.       The  Joy  of  the  Lord  is  your  Strength. 
.  Chap.  viii.   10. 

1  Joy  is  a  fruit  that  will  not  grow- 

In  nature's  barren  soil ; 
All  we  can  boast,  till  Christ  we  know, 
Is  vanity  and  toil. 

2  But  where  the  Lord  has  planted  grace, 

And  made  his  glories  known, 
There  fruits  of  heav'nly  joy  and  peace 
Are  found,  and  there  alone. 

3  A  bleeding  Saviour  seen  by  faith, 

A  sense  of  pard'ning  love  ; 
A  hope  that  triumphs  over  death. 
Give  joys  like  those  above. 

4  To  take  a  glimpse  within  the  vail, 

To  know  that  God  is  mine, 
Are  springs  of  joy  that  never  fail. 
Unspeakable  !  divine ! 

5  These  are  the  joys  which  satisfy, 

And  sanctify  the  mind  j 
Which  make  the  spirit  mount  on  high, 
And  leave  the  world  behind. 

6  No  more,  believers,  mourn  your  lot ; 

But  if  you  are  the  Lord's, 
Resign  to  them  that  know  him  not 
Such  joys  as  earth  affords. 


Hymn  43.  Job. 

JOB. 

XLIII.     Oh  that  I  were  as  in  motiths  past  f 
Chap.  xxix.  2. 

1  Sweet  was  the  time  when  first  I  felt 

The  Saviour's  pard'ning  blood 
Appfy'd,  to  cleanse  my  soul  from  guilt, 
And  bring  me  home  to  God. 

2  Soon  as  the  mom  the  light  reveal 'd, 

His  praises  tun'd  my  tongue  ; 
And  when  the  ev'ning  shades  prevail'd, 
His  love  was  all  my  song. 

3  In  vain  the  tempter  spread  his  wiles, 

The  world  no  more  could  charm  ; 
I  liv'd  upon  my  Saviour's  smiles, 
And  lean'd  upon  his  arm. 

4  In  pray'r  my  soul  drew  near  the  Lord, 

And  saw  his  glory  shine ; 
And  when  I  read  his  holy  word, 
I  call'd  each  promise  mine. 

5  Then  to  his  saints  I  often  spoke, 

Of  what  his  love  had  done  ; 
But  now  my  heart  is  almost  broke, 
For  all  my  joys  are  gone. 

6  Now  when  the  ev'ning  shade  prevails, 

My  soul  in  darkness  mourns  ; 
And  when  the  mom  the  light  reveals, 
No  light  to  me  returns. 

7  My  pray'rs  are  now  a  chatt'ring  noise, 

For  Jesus  hides  his  face  ; 
I  read,  the  promise  meets  my  eyes, 
But  will  not  reach  my  case. 


356  '  Job.  Book  I. 

8  Now  Satan  threatens  to  prevail, 
And  make  my  soul  his  prey  : 
Yet,  Lord,  thy  mercies  cannot  fail, 
O  come  without  delay  ! 


XLIV.      The  Change*. 

X  Saviour,  shine  and  cheer  my  soul. 

Bid  my  dying  hopes  revive ; 

Make  my  wounded  spirit  whole. 

Far  away  the  tempter  drive  , 

Speak  the  word,  and  set  me  free. 

Let  me  live  alone  to  thee. 

2  Shall  I  sigh  and  pray  in  vain, 

Wilt  thou  still  refuse  to  hear  ? 
Wilt  thou  not  return  again, 

Must  I  yield  to  black  despair  ? 
Thou  hast  taught  my  heart  to  pray. 
Canst  thou  turn  thy  face  away  ? 

3  Once  I  thought  my  mountain  strong, 

Firmly  fix'd  no  more  to  move  ; 
Then  thy  grace  was  all  my  song. 

Then  my  soul  was  fill'd  with  love  ; 
Those  were  happy  golden  days. 
Sweetly  spent  in  prayer  and  praise. 

4  When  my  friends  haA^e  said,  "  Beware, 

"  Soon  or  late  you'll  find  a  change," 
I  could  see  no  cause  for  fear, 

Vain  their  caution  seem'd  and  strange 
Not  a  cloud  obscur'd  my  sk}'. 
Could  I  think  a  tempest  nigh  ? 

*  Boofl  ii.  Hymn  "4.  and  Bookiii.  Hymn  86. 


Hymn  45.  Psalms.  <|5f 

5  Little  then  myself  I  knew, 

Little  thought  of  Satan's  pow'r  : 
Now  I  find  their  words  ^\^ere  true, 

Now  I  feel  the  stormy  hour ! 
Sin  has  put  my  joys  to  flight, 
Sin  has  chang'd  my  day  to  night. 

6  Satan  asks  and  mocks  my  wo, 

"  Boaster,  where  is  now  your  God?" 
Silence,  Lord,  this  cruel  foe. 

Let  him  know  I'm  bought  with  blood  : 
Tell  him,  since  I  know  thy  name. 
Though  I  change,  thou  art  the  same. 


PSALMS. 

XLV.     Pleading  for  Mercy.     Psalm  vi. 

1  In  mercy,  not  in  wrath,  rebuke 

Thy  feeble  worm,  my  God ! 
My  spirit  dreads  thine  angry  look, 
And  trembles  at  thy  rod. 

2  Have  mercy.  Lord,  for  I  am  weak, 

Regard  my  heavy  groans  ; 
O  let  thy  voice  of  comfort  speak, 
And  heal  my  broken  bones  ! 

3  By  day,  my  busy  beating  head 

Is  fill'd  with  anxious  fears  ; 
By  night,  upon  my  restless  bed, 
I  weep  a  flood  of  tears, 

4  Thus  I  sit  desolate  and  mourn. 

Mine  eyes  grown  dull  with  grief: 
Hqw  long,  my  Lord,  ere  thou  return, 
And  bring  my  soul  relief? 


358  i'salm.  Book  I. 

5  O  come  and  show  thy  pow'r  to  save, 

And  spare  my  fainting  breath  ; 
For  who  can  praise  thee  in  the  grave, 
Or  sing  thy  name  in  death  ? 

6  Satan,  my  cruel  envious  foe, 

Insults  me  in  my  pain  ; 
He  smiles  to  see  me  brought  so  low, 
And  tells  me  hope  is  vain. 

7  But  hence,  thou  enemy,  depart, 

Nor  tempt  me  to  despair ; 
My  Saviour  comes  to  cheer  my  heart, 
The  Lord  has  heard  my  pray 'r. 


XLVI.     A''one  ufton  Earth  I  desire  beside  theci 
Psalm  Ixxiii.  25. 

1  How  tedious  and  tasteless  the  hours, 
When  Jesus  no  longer  I  see  ; 
Sweet  prospects,sweetbirds,and  sweet  flow'^S 

Have  lost  all  their  sweetness  with  me ; 
The  midsummer  sun  shines  but  dim, 

The  fields  strive  in  vain  to  look  gay  ; 
But  when  I  am  happy  in  him, 
December's  as  pleasant  as  May. 

9  His  name  yields  the  richest  perfume. 

And  sweeter  than  music  his  voice  ; 
His  presence  disperses  my  gloom. 

And  makes  all  within  me  rejoice  : 
I  should,  were  he  always  thus  nigh. 

Have  nothing  to  wish  or  to  fear  j 
No  mortal  so  happy  as  I, 

My  summer  would  last  all  the  vear. 


Hymn  47.  Psalms,  359 

3  Content  with  beholding  his  face, 

My  all  to  his  pleasure  resign'd, 
No  changes  of  season  or  place, 

Would  make  any  change  in  my  mind  ; 
While  bless'd  with  a  sense  of  his  love, 

A  palace  a  toy  would  appear ; 
And  prisons  would  palaces  prove, 

If  Jesus  would  dwell  with  me  there. 

4  Dear  Lord,  if  indeed  I  am  thine, 

If  thou  art  my  sun  and  my  song ; 
Say,  why  do  I  languish  and  pine, 

And  why  are  my  winters  so  long  ? 
O  drive  these  dark  clouds  from  my  sky, 

Thy  soul- cheering  presence  restore ; 
Or  take  me  unto  thee  on  high, 

Where  winter  and  clouds  are  no  more. 


XLVII.     The  Believer's    Safety.     Psalm  xci. 

1  Incarnate  God !  the  soul  that  knows 

Thy  name's  mysterious  powV, 
Shall  dwell  in  undisturb'd  repose, 
Nor  fear  the  trying  hour. 

2  Thy  wisdom,  faithfulness,  and  love, 

To  feeble  helpless  worms, 
A  buckler  and  a  refuge  prove 
From  enemies  and  storms. 

3  In  vain  the  fowler  spreads  his  net, 

To  draw  them  from  thy  care  ; 
Thy  timely  call  instructs  their  feet 
To  shun  th&  artful  snare. 


360  Psalms.  Book  I. 

4  When,  like  a  baneful  pestilence, 

Sin  mows  its  thousands  down 
On  ev'ry  side,  without  defence, 
'    Thy  grace  secures  thine  own. 

5  No  midnight  terrors  haunt  their  bed, 

No  arrow  wounds  by  day  ; 
Unhurt  on  serpents  they  shall  tread, 
If  found  in  duty's  way. 

6  Angels,  unseen,  attend  the  saints, 

And  bear  them  in  their  ai'nis. 
To  cheer  the  spirit  when  it  faints, 
And  guard  the  life  from  harms. 

7  The  angels'  Lord  himself  is  nigh 

To  them  that  love  his  name ; 
Ready  to  save  them  when  they  cry, 
And  put  their  foes  to  shame. 

8  Crosses  and  changes  ai'e  their  lot, 

Long  as  they  sojourn  here  : 
But  since  their  Saviour  changes  noty 
What  have  the  saints  to  fear  ? 


XLVIII.      Another, 

1  That  man  no  guard  or  weapons  needs, 
Whose  heart  the  blood  of  Jesus  knows ; 

But  safe  may  pass,  if  duty  leads, 
Thi'oughburning  sandsor  mountain- snows. 

2  Releas'd  from  guilt,  he  feels  no  fear  ; 

Redemption  is  his  shield  and  tow'r ; 
He  sees  his  Saviour  always  near 
To  help  in  ev'ry  trying  hour. 


Hymn  49.  Fsalms.  361 

3  Though  I  am  weak,  and  Satan  strong, 

And  often  to  assult  me  tries  ; 
When  Jesus  is  my  shield  and  song, 
Abash'd  the  wolf  before  me  flies. 

4  His  love  possessing  I  am  blest, 

Secure  whatever  change  may  come  : 
Whether  I  go  to  east  or  west, 
With  him  I  still  shall  be  at  home. 

5  If  plac'd  beneath  the  northern  pole. 

Though  winter  reigns  with  rigour  there ;        ■  * 
His  gracious  beams  would  cheer  my  soul, 
And  make  a  spring  throughout  the  year. 

6  Or  if  the  desert's  sun-burnt  soil 

My  lonely  dwelling  e'er  should  prove ; 
His  presence  would  support  my  toil, 
Whose  smile  is  life,  whose  voice  is  love. 


XLIX.     He  led  them  by  a  right  Way.  Ps.  cvii.  ^. 

1  When  Israel  was  from  Egypt  freed, 

The  Lord,  who  brought  them  out, 
Help'd  them  in  ev'ry  time  of  need. 
But  led  them  roimd  about*. 

2  To  enter  Canaan  soon  they  hop'd  ; 

But  quickly  chang'd  their  mind. 
When  the  Red  Sea  their  passage  stopp'd 
And  PhiU'aoh  march'd  behind. 

3  The  desert  fiU'd  them  with  alarms, 

For  water  and  for  food  ; 
And  Amalek,  by  force  of  arms, 
To  check  their  progress  stood. 
Exod.  xiii.  17. 
V^ot.  III.  3  A 


362  rsalms.  Book  I. 


4  They  often  murmur 'd  by  the  way. 

Because  they  judg'd  by  sight ; 
But  were  at  length  constrain'd  to  say, 
The  Lord  had  led  them  right.  -^ 

5  In  the  Red  Sea,  that  stopp'd  them  first. 

Their  enemies  were  drown'd ; 
The  rocks  gave  water  for  their  thirst, 
And  Manna  spread  the  ground. 

6  By  fire  and  cloud  their  way  was  sho\vii 

Across  the  pathless  sands  ; 
And  Amalek  was  overthrown 
By  Moses'  lifted  hands. 

7  The  way  was  right  their  hearts  to  prove, 

To  make  God's  glory  known ; 
And  show  his  wisdom,  pow'r,  and  love, 
Engag'd  to  save  his  own. 

$  Just  so  the  true  believer's  path 
Through  many  dangers  lies  ; 
Though  dark  to  sense,  'tis  right  to  faith, 
And  leads  us  to  the  skies. 


L.     What  shall  I  render*?     Ps.  cxvi.  12,  IS. 

1  For  mercies,  countless  as  the  sands, 

Which  daily  I  receive 
From  Jesus  my  Redeemer's  hands, 
My  soul,  what  canst  thou  give  ? 

2  Alas  !  from  such  a  heart  as  mine. 

What  can  I  bring  him  forth  ? 
My  best  is  stain'd  and  dy'd  with  sin^ 
My  all  is  nothing  ^Aorth. 

•  Book  iii.  Hvmn  6y. 


W 


Hymn  51.  Psalms.  '  363 

3  Yet  this  acknowledgment  I'll  make 

For  all  he  has  bestow'd, 
Salvation's  sacred  cup  I'll  take, 
And  call  upon  my  God. 

4  The  best  returns  for  one  like  me-, 

So  wretched  and  so  poor, 
Is  from  his  gifts  to  draw  a  plea^ 
And  ask  him  still  for  more. 

5  I  cannot  serve  him  as  I  ought. 

No  works  have  I  to  boast ; 

Yet  would  I  glory  in  the  thought 

That  I  shall  owe  him  most. 


LI.     Dwelling  in  Mesech.     Psalnr  cxx.  5 — -J. 

1  Wh  a  t  a  mournful  life  is  mine, 

Fill'd  with  crosses,  pains,  and  cares  \ 
Ev'ry  work  defil'd  with  sin, 
Ev'ry  step  beset  with  snares ! 

2  If  alone  I  pensive  sit, 

I  myself  can  hardly  bear  ; 
If  I  pass  along  the  street. 
Sin  and  riot  triumph  there. 

3  Jesus !  how  my  heart  is  pain'd. 

How  it  mourns  for  souls  deceiv'd. 
When  I  hear  thy  name  profan'd, 
When  I  see  thy  Spirit  griev'd  I 

4  When  thy  cliildren's  griefs  I  view, 

Their  distress  becomes  my  own ; 
All  I  hear,  or  see,  or  do. 
Makes  me  tremble,  weep,  and  groan. 


Proverbs.  Book  I. 

5  Mourning  thus  I  long  had  been, 

When  I  heard  my  Saviour's  voice ; 
"  Thou  hast  cause  to  mourn  for  sin, 
"But  in  me  thou  mayst  rejoice." 

6  This  kind  word  dispell'd  my  grief. 

Put  to  silence  my  complaints  ; 
Though  of  sinners  I  am  chief, 
He  has  rank'd  me  with  his  saints. 

7  Though  constrain'd  to  dwell  a  while 

Where  the  wicked  strive  and  brawl ; 
Let  them  frown,  so  he  but  smile, 
Heav'n  will  make  amends  for  all. 

8  There,  believers,  we  shall  rest. 

Free  from  sorrow,  sin  and  fears ; 
Nothing  there  our  peace  molest. 
Through  eternal  rounds  of  years. 

9  Let  us  then  the  fight  endure. 

See  our  Captain  looking  down  ; 
He  will  make  the  conquest  sure, 
And  bestow  the  promised  crown. 

PROVERBS. 

LII.     C.     Wisdom.      Chap.  viii.  22— 31. 

\  Ere  God  had  built  the  mountains, 

Or  rais'd  the  fruitful  hills  ; 
Before  he  fiU'd  the  fountains 

That  feed  the  running  rills ; 
In  me,  from  everlasting, 

The  wonderful  I  am. 
Found  pleasures  never  wasting, 

And  Wisdom  is  my  name* 


Hymn  53.  Proverbs.  HAS 

2  When,  like  a  tent  to  dwell  in, 

He  spread  the  skies  abroad, 
And  swath'd  about  the  swelling 

Of  ocean's  mighty  flood  ; 
He  wrought  by  weight  and  measure, 

And  I  was  with  him  then ; 
Myself  the  Father*s  pleasure, 

And  mine,  the  sons  of  men. 

3  Thus  wisdom's  words  discover 

Thy  glory  and  thy  grace, 
Thou  everlasting  lover 

Of  our  unworthy  race  ! 
Thy  gracious  eye  survey'd  us 

Ere  stars  were  seen  above ; 
In  wisdom  thou  hast  made  us, 

And  died  for  us  in  love. 

4  And  couldst  thou  be  delighted 

With  creatures  such  as  we. 
Who,  when  we  saw  thee,  slighted. 

And  nail'd  tiiee  to  the  tree  ? 
Unfathomable  wonder. 

And  mystery  divine ! 
The  voice  that  speaks  in  thunder. 

Says,  "  Sinner,  I  am  thine  !" 

LIII.     -^  Friend  that  sticketh  closer  than  a  brother. 
Chap,  xviii.  24. 

1  One  there  is,  above  all  others. 

Well  deserves  the  name  of  Friend ; 
His  is  love  beyond  a  brother's. 
Costly,  free,  and  knows  no  end  : 
They  who  once  his  kindness  prove 
Find  it  everlasting  lo^^e  ! 


366  Proverbs.  Book  I, 

2  Which  of  all  our  friends  to  save  us, 

Could  or  would  have  shed  their  blood ! 
But  our  Jesus  died  to  have  us. 
Reconcil'd  in  him  to  God : 

This  was  boundless  love  indeed ! 
Jesus  is  a  Friend  in  need. 

3  Men,  when  rais'd  to  lofty  stations, 

Often  know  their  friends  no  more  ; 
Slight  and  scorn  their  poor  relations, 

Though  they  valu'd  them  before  : 
But  our  Saviour  always  owns 
Those  whom  he  redeem'd  with  groanis. 

4  When  he  liv'd  on  earth  abased. 

Friend  of  sinners  was  his  name, 
Now,  above  all  glory  raised. 

He  rejoices  in  the  same  : 

Still  he  calls  them  brethren,  friends, 
And  to  all  their  wants  attends. 

5  Could  we  bear  from  one  another 

What  he  daily  bears  from  us  ? 
Yet  this  glorious  Friend  and  Brother 
Loves  us,  though  we  treat  him  thus  : 

Though  for  good  we  render  ill, 

He  accounts  us  brethren  still. 

6  Oh !  for  grace  our  hearts  to  soften ! 

Teach  us.  Lord,  at  length  to  love  ; 
We,  alas  !  forget  too  often 

What  a  Friend  we  have  above : 

But  when  home  our  souls  are  brought, 
We  will  love  thee  as  we  ought. 


Hymn  54^  Ecclesiastes.  367 

ECCLESIASTES. 

LIV.      Vanity  of  Life*,     Chap.  i.  2. 

1  The  evils  that  beset  our  path 

Who  can  prevent  or  cure  ? 
We  stand  upon  the  brink  of  death 
W  hen  most  we  seem  secure. 

2  If  we  to-day  sweet  peace  possess, 

It  soon  may  be  withdrawn  ; 
Some  change  may  plunge  us  in  distress^v 
Before  to-mon-ow's  dawn. 

,3  Disease  and  pain  invade  our  healUi, 
And  find  an  easy  prey  ; 
And  oft,  when  least  expected,  v/ealth 
Takes  wings,  and  flies  away. 

4  A  fever  or  a  blow  can  shake 

Our  wisdom's  boasted  rule, 
And  of  the  brightest  genius  make 
A  madman  or  a  fool. 

5  The  gourds,  from  which  we  look  for  fruit. 

Produce  us  only  pain  ; 
A  worm  unseen  attacks  the  root. 
And  all  ou^  hopes  are  vain. 

6  I  pity  those  who  seek  no  more 

Tlian  such  a  world  can  give  ; 
Wretched  they  are,  and  blind,  and  poor, 
And  dying  while  they  live. 

7  Since  sin  has  filFd  the  earth  with  wo, 

And  creatures  fade  and  die  ; 
Lord,  wean  our  hearts  from  things  below, 
And  fix  our  hopes  on  high. 
*  Book  ii.     Hymn  6. 


36S  Eccledastes.  ]Bcx)k  I; 

LV.  C    Vanity  of  the  World. 

1  God  gives  his  mercies  to  be  spent ; 

Your  hoard  will  do  your  soul  no  good  ; 
Gold  is  a  blessing  only  lent, 
Repaid  by  giving  others  food. 

2  The  world's  esteem  is  but  a  bribe, 

To  buy  their  peace  you  sell  your  o\^'T1  ; 
The  slave  of  a  vain-glorious  tribe, 
Who  hate  you  while  they  make  you  known. 

3  The  joy  that  vain  amusements  give, 

O  !  sad  conclusion  that  it  brings ! 
The  honey  of  a  crowded  hive. 
Defended  by  a  thousand  stings. 

4  'Tis  thus  the  world  rewards  the  fools 

That  live  upon  her  treach'rous  smiled; 
She  leads  them  blindfold  by  her  rules, 
And  ruins  all  whom  she  beguiles. 

5  God  knows  the  thousands  who  go  do^^■n 

From  pleasure  into  endless  wo  ; 
And  with  a  long  despairing  groan  aioi  >    - 
Blaspheme  their  Majt^r*as.,they  ^^jl 

6  O  fearful  thought !  be  ^mielyVise ;  "^ 

Delight  but  in  a  Saviour's  charms, 
And  God  shall  take  you  to  the  skiesl,!  a\  I 
Embrac'd  in  everlasting  arms.   ^37/<^ 

LVI.     Vaniti^iofiJh£^jCteat»rAmn9tiJiid,  A 

1  Honey  though  the  bee  prepares. 
An  envenom'd  sting  he  wears  ; 
Piercing  thorns  a  guard  compose 
Round  the  fragrant,  blooming  rose. 


Hymn  56.  Ecclesiastes.  369 

2  Where  we  think  to  find  a  sweet, 
Oft  a  painful  sting  we  meet : 
When  the  rose  invites  our  eye, 
We  forget  the  thorn  is  nigh. 

5  Why  are  thus  our  hopes  beguil'd  ? 
Why  are  all  our  pleasures  spoil'd  ? 
Why  do  agony  and  wo 
From  our  choicest  comforts  grow  ? 

4  Sin  has  been  the  cause  of  all ! 
'Twas  not  thus  before  the  fall : 
What  but  pain  and  thorn,  and  sting. 
From  the  root  of  sin  can  spring  ? 

5  Now  with  ev'ry  good  we  find 
Vanity  and  grief  entwin'd  ; 
What  we  feel,  or  what  we  fear, 
All  our  joys  embitter  here. 

%  Yet,  through  the  Redeemer's  love^ 
These  afflictions  blessings  prove  ; 
He  the  wounding  stings  and  thorns 
Into  healing  med'cines  turns. 

7  From  the  earth  our  hearts  they  wean, 
Teach  us  on  his  arm  to  lean ; 
Urge  us  to  a  throne  of  grace. 
Make  us  seek  a  resting  place. 

%  In  the  mansions  of  our  King 
Sweets  abound  without  a  sting  j 
Thomless  there  the  roses  blow, 
And  the  joys  unmmgled  flow. 


Vol.  in.  3  B 


9T0  Solomoii's  SoUg.  Book  I. 

^  SOLOMON'S  SONG. 

LVII.      The  name  of  Jesus.     Chap.  i.  3. 

1  How  sweet  the  name  of  Jesus  sounds 

In  a  believer's  ear  ! 
It  sooths  his  sorrows,  heals  his  wounds^ 
And  drives  away  his  fear. 

2  It  makes  the  wounded  spirit  whole. 

And  calms  the  troubled  breast ; 
'Tis  Manna  to  the  hungry  soul, 
And  to  the  weary  rest.  ,    , 

8  Deal'  name  !  the  rock  on  Which  I  build, 
My  shield  and  hiding-place ; 
My  never-failing  treas'ry  fill'd 
With  boundless  stores  of  grace. 

4  By  thee  my  prayVs  acceptance  gain. 

Although  with  sin  defii'd  j 
Satan  accuses  me  in  vain. 
And  I  am  owu'd  a  child. 

5  Jesus !  my  Shepherd,  Husband,  Friend^ 

My  Prophet,  Priest,  and  King ; 
My  Lord,  my  Life,  my  Way,  my  Endl^v^ 
Accept  the  praise  I  bring»-c^u\>/i. 

6  Weak  is  the  effort  of  my  heart, 
And  cold  my  \yarmest  thought : 

But  when  I  see  thee  as  tliou  art, 
1 11  praise  thee  as  1  ought-    ,     .. 

7  'Till  then  I  would  thy  love  proclaim 

■  , 'J' ■  J  -^1)1'  ■ 

With  ev'ry  fleeting  breath ;    '     , 

And  may  the  music  of  thy  name 

Refresh  my  soui  in  death. 


Hymn  59.  Isaiah.  371 

ISAIAH. 

LVIII.     C.     0  Lord^i  Huill  jliraine  thee.   Chap,  xii. 

1  I  will  praise  thee  ev'ry  day, 
Now  thine  anger's  turn'd  away  ! 
Comfortable  thoughts  arise 
From  the  bleeding  sacrifice. 

2  Here,  in  the  fair  Gospel-field, 
Wells  of  free  salvation  yield 
Streams  of  life,  a  plenteous  store. 
And  my  soul  shall  thirst  no  more, 

5  Jesus  is  become  at  length 
My  salvation  and  my  strength  ; 
And  his  praises  shall  prolong, 
While  I  live,  my  pleasant  song. 

4  Praise  ye  then  his  glorious  name, 
Publish  his  exalted  fame  ! 

Still  his  worth  your  praise  exceeds. 
Excellent  are  all  his  deeds. 

5  Raise  again  the  joyful  sound, 
Let  the  nations  roll  it  round ! 
Zion  shout,  for  this  is  he, 

God  the  Saviour  dwells  in  thee !  ro J  -^iA 

LIX.      The  Refuge^  River,  and  Rock  of  the  Ckurch. 
Chap,  xxxii.  2. 

1  He  who  on  earth  as  man  was  known, 

And  bdrc  our  sms  and  pauis^;      ^         , 
Now  seated  on  th*  eternal  throne,     ' 
The  God  of  glory  reigiis, 

2  liis  hands  the  wheels  of  nature  guide 

With  an  unerring  skill ; 
And  countless  worlds,  extended  wide, 
Obey  his  sovereign  will. 


m  Isaiah.  Book  J. 

3  While  hai*ps  unnumbcr'd  sound  his  praise, 

In  yonder  world  above  ; 
His  saints  on  earth  admire  his  ways, 
And  glory  in  his  love. 

4  His  righteousness,  to  faith  reveal'd, 

Wrought  out  for  guilty  worms. 
Affords  a  hiding-place  and  shield 
From  enemies  and  storms, 

5  This  land,  through  which  his  pilgrims  go, 

Is  desolate  and  dr}^  ; 
But  streams  oi  grace  from  him  o'erflow. 
Their  thirst  to  satisfy. 

)3  When  troubles,  like  a  burning  sun, 
Beat  heavy  on  their  head. 
To  this  almighty  Rock  they  run, 
And  find  a  pleasing  shade. 

7  How  glorious  he  !  how  happy  they 
In  such  a  glorious  Friend  ! 
Whose  love  secures  them  all  the  way, 
And  crowns  them  at  the  end. 

LX.  Zion,  or  the  City  of  God*.  Chap,  xxxiii.  20,21. 

1  Glorious  things  of  thee  are  spokenf, 

Zion,  city  of  our  God  ! 
He,  whose  word  cannot  be  broken, 

Form 'd  thee  for  his  own  abode|: 
On  the  rock  of  ages  founded^, 

What  can  shake  thy  sure  repose ; 
With  salvation's  wails  surrounded|), 

Thou  mayst  smile  at  all  thy  foes.- 

*  Book  ii.  Hymn  24.  t  Ps.  Ixxxvii.  3.  \  Ps.  cxxxii.  1 4 
^  Matth.  xvi.  18.  1)  Isa.  xxvi.  I. 


Hymn  60.  Isaiah.  $T^ 

2  See  the  streams  of  living  waters 

Springing  from  eternal  love*, 
Well  supply  tliy  sons  aiid  daughters; 

And  all  feai'  of  want  remove  : 
Who  can  faint  while  such  a  river 

Ever  flows  their  thirst  t*  assuage  ? 
Grace,  which  like  the  Lord,  the  giver, 

Never  fails  from  age  to  age. 

3  Round  each  habitation  hov'ring, 

See  the  cloud  and  fire  appearfl 
For  a  glory  and  a  covering, 

Shon  ing  that  the  Lord  is  near ; 
Thus  deriving  from  their  banner 

Light  by  night  and  shade  by  day  ; 
Safe  they  feed  upon  the  Manna 

Which  he  gives  them  when  they  pray. 

4  Blest  inhabitants  of  Zion, 

Wash'd  in  the  Redeemer's  blood  ! 
Jesus,  whom  their  souls  rely  on, 

Makes  them  kings  and  priests  to  God  J: 
'Tis  his  love  his  people  raises 

Over  self  to  reign  as  kings, 
And  as  priests,  his  solemn  praises 

Each  for  a  thank -off"'ring  brings. 

5  Saviour,  if  of  Zion's  city 

I,  through  grace,  a  member  an\  jj  r 
Let  the  world  deride  or  pity, 

I  will  glory  in  thy  name  : 
Fading  is  the  worldling's  pleasure, 

All  his  boasted  pomp  and  show ; 
Solid  joys  and  lasting  treasure, 

None  but  Zion's  children  know. 

'^  Psalm  xlyi,  4.         \  Is^.  iv.  5,  6.        %  Rev.  i.  6. 


3f4  Isaia/i:  Book  I» 

LXI.  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved.  Chap.  xlv.  32. 

1  As  the  serpent  rais'd  by  Moses* 

Heal'd  the  burning  serpent's  bite ; 
Jesus  thus  himself  discloses 

To  the  wounded  sinner's  sight : 
Hear  his  gracious  invitation, 

"  I  have  life  and  peace  to  give, 
'*  I  have  \vi*ought  out  full  salvation, 

"  Sinner,  look  to  me  and  live. 

2  "  Pore  ppon  your  sins  no  longer, 

"  Well  I  know  their  mlghly  guilt ; 
''  But  my  lo\'e  than  death  is  stronger, 

"  I  my  blood  have  freely  spilt : 
*'  Though  your  heart  has  long  been  harden'd, 

"  Look  on  me — it  soft  shall  grow  ; 
**  Past  transgressions  shall  be  pardon'd, 

"  And  Pll  wash  you  white  as  snow. 

3  "  I  have  seen  what  you  were  doing, 

"  Though  you  little  thought  of  me  j^ 
"  You  were  madly  bent  on  ruin, 

"  But,  I  said — It  shall  not  be : 
*'  You  had  been  for  ever  wretched, 

"  Had  I  not  espous'd  your  part ; 
"  Now  behold  my  arms  outstretched 

*'  To  receive  you  to  my  heart.  q 

4  "  Well  may  shame,  and  joy,  and  wonder, 

**  All  your  inward  passions  move  ; 
**  I  could  x:rush  thee  with  my  thunder, 
"  But  I  speak  to  thee  in  love :  ^ 

*  Numb.  xxi.  9. 


.1 


"  See  !  your  sins  are  all  forgiv'n, 
**  I  have  paid  the  countless  sum  ! 

"  Now  my  death  has  open'd  heaven, 
"  Thither  you  shall  shortly  come." 

5  Dearest  Saviour,  we  adore  thee 

For  thy  precious  life  and  death ; 
Melt  each  stubborn  heart  before  thee^- 

Give  us  all  the  eye  of  faith  : 
From  the  law's  condemning  sentence, 

To  thy  mercy  we  appeal ; 
Thou  alone  canst  give  repentance, 

Thou  alone  our  souls  canst  heal. 


LXII.     The  good  Physician. 

1  How  lost  was  my  condition, 

Till  Jesus  made  me  whole  ! 
There  is  but  one  Physician 

Can  cure  a  sin- sick  soul ! 
Next  door  to  death  he  found  me. 

And  snatch'd  me  from  the  grave, 
To  tell  to  all  around  me, 

His  wond'rous  power  to  save*. 

2  The  worst  of  all  diseases    *"  '  *  ,. 

T   r  u*  J     .  ,  :»iori'3d  v/oK 

Is  light,  compared  with  sm ;      ,p 

On  ev'ry  part  it  seizes, 

73i  But  rages  most  within  ?:a  v£m  IbV/ 

'Tis  palsy,  plague,  and  fever,  jv(  11 A  *' 

And  madness — all  combin'd'; 
And  none  but  a  believer 

The  least  relief  can  find. 


^7S  Iseda/L  lo^k  t 

3  From  men  great  skill  professing 

I  thought  a  cure  to  gain  ; 
But  this  prov'd  more  distressing, 

And  added  to  my  pain  : 
Some  said  that  nothing  ail'd  me, 

Some  gave  me  up  for  lost ; 
Thus  ev'ry  refuge  faii'd  me, 

And  all  my  hopes  were  cross'd. 

4  At  length  this  great  Physician, 

How  matchless  is  his  grace ! 
Accepted  my  petition, 

And  undertook  my  case  : 
First  gave  me  sight  to  view  him, 

For  sin  my  eyes  had  seal'd ; 
Then  bid  me  look  unto  him ; 

I  look'd,  and  I  was  heal'd. 

6  A  dying,  risen  Jesus, 

Seen  by  the  eye  of  faith, 
At  once  from  danger  frees  us, 

And  saves  the  soul  from  death : 
Come  then  to  this  Physician, 

His  help  he'll  freely  give, 
He  makes  no  hard  condition, 

'Tis  only — ^look  and  live. 


LXIII.      To  the  Afflicted.,  tossed  with  temfieais,  and 
7iot  comforted.     Chap.  liv.   5 — 11. 

1  Pensive,  doubting,  fearful  heart. 
Hear  what  Christ  the  Saviour  says ; 
Ev'ry  M^ord  should  joy  impart, 
Change  tliy  mourning  into  praise ; 


Hymn  C3.  Isaiah.  377 

Yes,  he  speaks,  and  speaks  to  thee. 

May  he  help  tliee  to  believe  ! 
Then  thou  presently  wilt  see. 

Thou  hast  little  cause  to  grieve. 

2  "  Fear  thou  not,  nor  be  asham'd, 

*'  All  thy  sorrows  soon  shall  end  : 
"  I  who  heav*n  and  earth  have  fram'd 

"  Am  thy  husband  and  thy  friend : 
"  I  the  High  and  Holy  One, 

"  Israel's  God,  by  all  ador'd, 
"  As  thy  Saviour  will  be  kno^vn, 

"  Thy  Redeemer  and  thy  Lord. 

3  "  For  a  moment  I  withdrew, 

"  And  thy  heart  was  fiird  with  pain ; 
"  But  my  mercies  I'll  renew, 

"  Thou  shalt  soon  rejoice  again  : 
*'  Though  I  seem  to  hide  my  face, 

<<  Very  soon  my  A\Tath  shall  cease ; 
"  'Tis  but  for  a  moment's  space, 

*'  Ending  in  eternal  peace. 

4  "  When  my  peaceful  bow  appeal's*, 

"  Painted  on  the  wat'ry  cloud ;         ,  • 
"  'Tis  to  dissipate  thy  fears,  ./ 

"  Lest  the  earth  should  be  o  erflbw'd: 
"  'Tis  an  emblem  too  of  grace, 

"  Of  my  cov'hant  love  a  sign  : 
*'  Though  the  mountains  leave  their  place, 
,  "  Thou  shalt  be  for  ever  mine. 

5  "  Though  afflicted,  tempest  toss'd, 

"  Comfordess  awhile  thou  ai't, 
"  Do  not  think  thou  canst  be  lost, 
"  Thou  art  graven  on  my  heart : 

*  Gen.  ix.   13,   14. 

Vol.  III.  3  C 


378  tsaiah.  Book  I. 

"  All  thy  wastes  I  will  repair, 

"  Thou  shalt  be  rebuilt  anew ; 
"  And  in  thee  it  shall  appear 

"  What  a  God  of  love  can  do." 


LXIV.     C.      The  Contrite  Heart.     Chap.  Ivii.    15. 

1  The  Lord  will  happiness  divine 

On  contrite  hearts  bestow  ; 
Tlicn  tell  me,  gracious  God,  is  mine 
A  coiiti-ite  heart  or  no  ? 

2  I  hear,  but  seem  to  hear  in  vain, 

Insensible  as  steel ; 
If  aught  is  felt,  'tis  only  pain, 
To  find  I  cannot  feel. 

3  I  sometimes  think  myself  inclin*d 

To  love  thee  if  I  could  ; 
But  often  feel  another  mind, 
Averse  to  all  that's  good. 

4  My  best  desires  are  faint  and  few, 

I  fain  would  strive  for  more ; 
But  when  I  cr}^,  "  My  strength  renew,'' 
Seem  weaker  than  before. 

5  Thy  saints  are  comforted,  I  know, 

And  love  thy  house  of  pray 'r  ; 
I  therefore  go  where  others  go, 
But  find  no  comfort  there. 

6  O  make  this  heart  rejoice  or  ache  ; 

Decide  this  doubt  for  me  ; 
And  if  it  be  not  broken,  break, 
And  heal  it,  if  it  be. 


Hj'mn  65.  Isaiah.  379 


LXV.  C.  The  future  Peace  and  Glory  of  the  Church. 
Chap.  Ix.  15—20. 

1  Hear  what  God  the  Lord  hath  spoken, 

"  O  my  people,  faint  and  few, 
"  Comfortless,  afflicted,  broken, 

*'  Fair  abodes  I  build  for  you  ; 
*'  Themes  of  heart-felt  tribulation 

"  Shall  no  more  perplex  your  ways ; 
"  You  shall  name  your  walls,  Salvation, 

"  And  your  gates  shall  all  be  praise. 

2  "  There,  like  streams  that  feed  the  garden, 

"  Pleasures  without  end  shall  flow  ; 
*'  For  the  Lord,  your  faith  rewiirding, 

"  All  his  bounty  shall  bestow  : 
"  Still  in  undisturb'd  possession, 

"  Peace  and  righteousness  shall  reign ; 
"  Never  shall  you  feel  oppression, 

"  Hear  the  voice  of  war  again. 

3  "  Ye  no  more  your  suns  descending, 

"  Waning  moons  no  more  shall  see; 
"  But,  your  griefs  for  ever  ending, 

"  Find  eternal  noon  in  me  ; 
"  God  shall  rise,  and  shining  o'er  you, 

"  Change  to  day  the  gloom  of  night : 
"  He,  the  Lord,  shall  be  your  glory, 

"  God  your  everlasting  light." 


; 
380  Jemniah  Book  I. 

JEREMIAH. 

]LXVI.   Trust  of  the  Wicked  and  the  Righteous  com-' 
Jiared.     Chap.  xvii.  5 — 8. 

1  As  parched  in  the  barren  sands, 

Beneadi  a  burning-  sky, 
The  worthless  bramble  with'ring  stands. 
And  only  grows  to  die. 

2  Such  is  the  sinner's  aw  ful  case. 

Who  makes  the  w^orld  his  trust, 
And  dares  his  confidence  to  place 
In  vanity  and  dust. 

3  A  secret  curse  destroys  his  root, 

And  dries  his  moisture  up  ; 
He  lives  a  while,  but  beai*s  no  fruity 
Then  dies  without  a  hope. 

4  But  happy  he  whose  hopes  depend 

Upon  the  Lord  alone  ; 
The  soul  that  trusts  in  such  a  Friend, 
Can  ne'er  be  overthrown. 

5  Tho'  gourds  should  wither,  cisterns  break. 

And  creature-comforts  die, 
No  change  his  solid  hope  can  shake, 
Or  stop  his  sure  supply. 

6  So  thrives  and  blooms  the  tree  whose  roots 

By  constant  streams  are  fed  ; 
Array 'd  in  green,  and  rich  in  fruits, 
It  rears  its  branching  head- 

7  It  thrives  though  rain  should  be  deny'd. 

And  drought  around  prevail ; 
'Tis  planted  by  a  river  side, 
Whose  waters  cannot  fail. 


Hymn  6S.  Jeremiah.  3!B|. 

LXVII.  C.  Jehovah  our  Righteousness.  Chap,  xxiii.  6. 

1  My  God,  how  perfect  are  thy  ways  ! 

But  mine  polluted  are ; 
Sin  twines  itself  about  my  praise, 
And  slides  into  my  prayer. 

2  When  I  would  speak  what  thou  hast  don^ 

To  save  me  from  my  sin, 
I  cannot  make  thy  mercies  known 
But  self-applauge  creeps  in. 

3  Divine  desire,  that  holy  flame 

Thy  grace  creates  in  me  ; 

Alas  !  impatience  is  its  name, 

When  it  returns  to  thee. 

4  This  heart,  a  fountain  of  vile  thoughts, 

How  does  it  overflow ! 
While  self  upon  the  surface  floats, 
Still  bubbling  from  below. 

5  Let  others  in  the  gaudy  dress 

Of  fancied  merit  shine. 
The  Lord  shall  be  my  righteousness, 
The  Lord  for  ever  mine. 

LXyin.  C.  E}ihr  aim  repenting.  Chap.xxxi.lS — 29. 

1  My  God,  till  I  receiv'd  thy  stroke, 

How  like  a  beast  was  I ! 
So  unaccustom'd  to  the  yoke, 
So  backwai'd  to  comply. 

2  With  grief  my  just  reproach  I  bear, 

Shame  fills  me  at  the  thought ; 

How  frequent  my  rebellions  were  ! 

What  wickedness  I  wrousrht ! 


383  LamciUatioJis.  Book  I. 

3  Thy  merciful  restraint  I  scorn'd, 

And  left  the  pleasant  road ; 
Yet  turn  me,  and  I  shall  be  turn'd, 
Thou  art  the  Lord  my  God. 

4  "  Is  Ephraim  banish'd  from  my  thoughts, 

"  Or  vile  in  my  esteem  ? 
"  No,"  saith  the  Lord,  "  with  all  his  faults 
"  I  still  remember  him. 

5  "  Is  he  a  deai-  and  pleasant  child  ? 

"  Yes,  dear  and  pleasant  still ; 
"  Though  sin  hij  foolish  heart  beguil'd 
"  And  he  withstood  my  will. 

6  "  My  sharp  rebuke  has  laid  him  low, 

"  He  seeks  my  face  again  ; 
"  My  pity  kindles  at  his  wo, 
*'  He  shall  not  seek  in  vain." 

LAMENTATIONS. 

LXIX.      The  Lord  is  my  fiortion.     Chap.  iii.  24. 

1  From  pole  to  pole  let  others  roam, 

And  search  in  vain  for  bliss  ; 
My  soul  is  satisfied  at  home. 
The  Lord  my  portion  is. 

2  Jesus,  who  on  his  glorious  throne 

Rules  heav'n,  and  earth,  and  sea, 
Is  pleas'd  to  claim  me  for  his  own, 
And  give  himself  to  me. 

3  His  person  fixes  all  my  love. 

His  blood  removes  my  fear  ; 
And  while  he  pleads  for  me  above, 
His  ai'm  preserves  me  here. 


Hymn  70.  Ezehel.  883 

4  His  word  of  promise  is  my  food, 

His  Spirit  is  my  guide  ; 
Thus  daily  is  my  strength  renew'd, 
And  all  my  wants  supply'd*. 

5  For  him  I  count  as  gain  each  loss, 

Disgrace,  for  him,  renown  ; 
Well  may  I  glory  in  his  cross. 
While  he  prepares  my  crown  ! 

6  Let  worldlings  then  indulge  their  boast, 

How  much  they  gain  or  spend  ; 
Their  joys  must  soon  give  up  the  ghost, 
But  mine  shall  know  no  end. 

EZEKIEL. 

LXX.  Humbled  and  silenced  by  Mercy.  Chap.  xvi.  63. 

1  Once  perishing  in  blood  I  lay, 

Creatures  no  help  could  give  ; 
But  Jesus  pass'd  me  in  the  way, 
He  saw,  and  bid  me  live. 

2  Though  Satan  still  his  rule  maintained, 

And  all  his  arts  employ 'd  ; 
That  mighty  word  his  rage  restrain'd, 
I  could  not  be  destioy'd. 

3  At  length  the  time  of  love  arriv'd 

When  I  my  Lord  should  know ; 
Then  Satan,  of  his  pow'r  depriv'd, 
Was  forc'd  to  let  me  go. 

4  O  can  I  e'er  that  day  forget, 

When  Jesus  kindly  spoke  ! 
"  Poor  soul,  my  blood  has  paid  thy  debt, 
"  And  now  I  break  thy  yoke. 
*  Book.  iii.  Hymn  59. 


^84  Ezekid.  Book  I^ 

5  "  Henceforth  I  take  thee  for  my  o^vn, 

"  And  give  myself  to  thee  ; 
*'  Forsake  the  idols  thou  hast  known, 
"  And  yield  thyself  to  me." 

6  Ah,  worthless  heart !  it  promised  fair, 

And  said  it  would  be  thine  ; 
I  little  thought  it  e'er  would  dare 
Again  with  idols  join. 

7  Lord,  dost  thou  such  backslidings  heal. 

And  pardon  all  that's  past  ? 
Sure,  if  I  am  not  made  of  steel, 
Thou  hast  prevail 'd  at  last. 

S  My  tongue,  which  rashly  spoke  before^ 
This  mercy  will  restrain  : 
Surely  I  now  shall  boast  no  more, 
Nor  censure,  nor  complain. 


LXXI.     C.      The  Covenant.     Chap,  xxxvi.  25 — 28, 

1  The  Lord  proclaims  his  grace  abroad  ! 

Behold,  I  change  your  hearts  of  stone  j 
Each  shall  renounce  his  idol-god, 

And  serve,  henceforth,  the  Lord  alone. 

2  My  grace,  a  flowing  stream,  proceeds 

To  wash  your  filthiness  away ; 
Ye  shall  abhor  your  former  deeds, 
And  learn  my  statutes  to  obey. 

3  My  truth  the  great  design  ensures, 

I  giA'C  myself  a^^'ay  to  you  ; 
You  shall  be  mine,  I  will  be  yours^ 
Your  God  unalterably  true. 


Hymn  72.  EzeJcieL  385 

4  Yet  not  unsought  or  unimplor'd, 

The  plenteous  grace  shall  I  confer* ; 
No — your  whole  hearts  shall  seek  the  Lord, 
I'll  put  a  praying  spirit  there. 

5  From  the  first  breath  of  life  divine, 

Do\vn  to  the  last  expiring  hour. 

The  gracious  work  shall  all  be  mine, 

Begun  and  ended  in  my  power. 

LXXII.     C.     Jehovah-Shammah.     Chap,  xlviii.  SS. 

1  As  birds  their  infant  brood  protectf. 

And  spread  their  wings  to  shelter  tliem, 
Thus  saith  the  Lord  to  his  elect, 
"  So  will  I  guard  Jerusalem." 

2  And  what  then  is  Jerusalem, 

This  dai'ling  object  of  his  care  ? 
Where  is  its  worth  in  God's  esteem  ? 
Who  built  it  ?  who  inhabits  there  ? 

3  Jehovah  founded  it  in  blood. 

The  blood  of  his  incarnate  Son ; 
There  dwell  the  saints,  once  foes  to  God, 
The  ^nners  whom  he  calls  his  own. 

4  There,  though  besieg'd  on  ev'ry  side, 

Yet  much  belov'd  and  guarded  well, 
From  age  to  age  they  have  defy'd 
The  utmost  force  of  earth  and  hell. 

5  Let  earth  repent,  and  hell  despair, 

This  city  has  a  sure  defence ; 
Her  name  is  call'd.  The  Lord  is  there, 
And  who  has  pow'r  to  drive  him  tjience  ? 

*  Ver  37.  t  Isaiah  xxxi.  5. 

Vol.  in.  $  D 


386  Daniel.  Book  I. 

DANIEL. 

LXXIII.     The  Power  and  Triumjih  of  Faith. 
Chap.  iii.  6. 

1  Supported  by  the  word, 
Though  in  himself  a  worm, 
The  servant  of  the  Lord 
Can  wond'rous  acts  perform  : 

Without  dismay  he  boldly  treads 
Where'er  the  path  of  duty  leads. 

2  The  haughty  king  in  vain, 
With  fury  on  his  brow, 
Believers  would  constrain 
To  golden  gods  to  bow  : 

The  furnace  could  not  make  them  fear. 
Because  they  knew  the  Lord  was  near. 

3  As  vain  was  the  decree 

Which  charg'd  them  not  to  pray ; 

Daniel  still  bow'd  his  knee. 

And  worshipped  thrice  a  day. 
Trusting  in  God,  he  fear'd  not  men, 
Though  threaten'd  with  the  lion's  den. 

4  Secure  they  might  refuse 
Compliance  with  such  laws ; 
For  what  had  they  to  lose. 
When  God  espous'd  their  cause  ? 

He  made  the  hungry  lions  crouch  ; 
Nor  durst  the  fire  his  children  touch. 

5  The  Lord  is  still  the  same, 
A  mighty  shield  and  tow'r, 
And  they  who  trust  his  name 
Are  guarded  by  his  pow'r ; 

He  can  the  rage  of  lions  tame, 

And  bear  them  hannless  thi-ough  the  flame. 


Hymn  74.  DardeL  387. 

6  Yet  we  too  often  shrink 

When  trials  are  in  view  ; 

Expecting  we  must  sink 

And  never  can  get  through : 
But  could  we  once  believe  indeed, 
From  all  these  fears  we  should  be  freed. 


LXXIV.     Belshazzar.     Chap.  v.  5,  6; 

1  Poor  sinners  !  little  do  they  think 

With  whom  they  have  to  do ! 
But  stand  securely  on  the  brink 
Of  everlasting  wo. 

2  Belshazzar  thus,  profanely  bold, 

The  Lord  of  hosts  defy'd  ; 
But  vengeance  soon  his  boasts  controU'd, 
And  humbled  all  his  pride. 

3  He  saw  a  hand  upon  the  wall, 

(And  trembled  on  his  throne,) 
Which  wrote  his  sudden  di-eadful  fall 
In  characters  unknown. 

4  Why  should  he  tremble  at  the  view 

Of  what  he  could  not  read  ? 
Foreboding  conscience  quickly  knew 
His  ruin  was  decreed. 

5  See  him  o'erwhelm'd  with  deep  distress  I 

His  eyes  with  anguish  roll ; 
His  looks  and  loosen'd  joints  express 
The  terrors  of  his  soul. 

6  His  pomp  and  music,  guests  and  wine, 

No  more  delight  afford  ; 
Oh,  sinner  !  ere  this  case  be  thine, 
Begin  to  seek  tlie  Lord. 


3S8  Jonah.  Book  1. 

7  The  law,  like  this  hand- writing,  stands, 
And  speaks  the  wrath  of  God*  ; 

But  Jesus  answers  its  demands, 
And  cancels  it  with  blood, 

JONAH. 

LXXV.     The  Gourd.     Chap.  iv.  7. 

1  As  once  for  Jonah,  so  the  Lord, 

To  sooth  and  cheer  my  mournful  hours, 
Prepar'd  for  me  a  pleasing  gourd ; 

Cool  was  its  shade  and  sweet  its  flow'rs. 

2  To  prize  his  gift  was  '^urely  right, 

J3ut  through  the  folly  of  my  heart, 
It  hid  the  Giver  from  my  sight, 

And  soon  my  joy  was  chang'd  to  smart.. 

3  While  I  admired  its  beauteous  form, 

Its  pleasant  shade  and  grateful  fruit ; 
The  Lord,  displeas'd,  sent  forth  a  worm, 
Unseen,  to  prey  upon  the  root. 

4  I  trembled  when  I  saw  it  fade. 

But  guilt  restrain'd  the  murm'ring  word; 
My  folly  I  confess'd,  and  pray'd, 

Forgive  my  sin,  and  spare  my  gourd. 

5  His  wond*rous  love  can  ne'er  be  told. 

He  heard  me,  and  reliev'd  my  pain  ; 
His  word  die  threat'ning  worm  controll'd, 
And  bid  my  gourd  revive  again. 

%  Now,  Lord,  my  gourd  is  mine  no  more, 
'Tis  thine,  who  only  couldst  it  raise ; 
The  idol  of  my  heart  before, 

Henceforth  shall  flourish  to  thy  praise, 

*  Col.  ii.  H-. 


Hymn  76.  Zecliariah.  389 

ZECHARIAH 

LXXVI.     Prayer  for  the  Lord*s  firoiniscd  Pre- 
sence.    Chap.  ii.   10. 

1  Son  of  God !  thy  people  shield  ! 

Must  we  still  thine  absence  mourn  ? 
Let  thy  promise  be  fulfill'd, 

Thou  hast  said,  "  I  will  return.'* 

2  Gracious  Leader,  now  appear. 

Shine  upon  us  with  thy  light ! 
Like  the  spring,  when  thou  art  near, 
Days  and  suns  are  doubly  bright. 

5  As  a  mother  counts  the  days 
Till  her  absent  son  she  see, 
Longs  and  watches,  weeps  and  prays, 
So  our  spirits  long  for  tliee. 

4  Come,  and  let  us  feel  thee  nigh, 

Then  thy  sheep  shall  feed  in  peace ; 
Plenty  bless  us  from  on  high, 
Evil  from  amongst  us  cease. 

5  With  thy  love,  and  voice,  and  aid. 

Thou  canst  ev'ry  care  assuage  ; 
Then  we  shall  not  be  afraid, 

Though  the  world  and  Satan  rage; 

6  Thus  each  day  for  thee  we'll  spend, 

While  our  callings  we  pursue  ; 

And  the  thoughts  of  such  a  Friend 

Shall  each  night  our  joy  renew. 

7  Let  thy  light  be  ne'er  withdrawn, 

Golden  days  afford  us  long ! 
Thus  we  pmy  at  eai'ly  dawn, 
This  shall  be  our  ev'ning  song. 


390  ZcchariaTu  iJook  I. 


LXXVII.     A  Brand  filucked  out  of  the  Fire. 
Chap.  iii.   1 — 5. 

1  With  Satan,  my  accuser,  near, 

My  spirit  trembled  when  I  saw 
The  Lord  in  majesty  appear, 

And  heai'd  the  language  of  his  law. 

2  In  vain  I  wish'd  and  strove  to  hide 

The  tatter 'd  filthy  rags  I  wore  ; 
While  my  fierce  foe  insulting  cry'd, 
"  See  what  you  trusted  in  before  I" 

3  Struck  dumb,  and  left  without  a  plea, 

I  heard  my  gracious  Saviour  say, 
*'  Know,  Satan,  I  this  sinner  free, 
"  I  died  to  take  his  sins  away. 

4  "  This  is  a  brand  which  I,  in  love, 

*'  To  save  from  wrath  and  sin  design  ! 
"  In  vain  thy  accusations  prove ; 

"  I  answer  all,  and  claim  him  mine." 

5  At  his  rebuke  the  tempter  fled ; 

Then  he  remov'd  my  filthy  dress  ; 
"  Poor  sinner,  take  this  robe,"  he  said, 
"  It  is  thy  Saviour's  righteousness. 

6  "  And  see,  a  crown  of  life  prepar'd ! 

"  That  I  might  thus  thy  head  adorn  ; 
"  I  thought  no  shame  or  suffering  hard, 
"  But  wore  for  thee  a  crown  of  thorn." 

7  O  how  I  heard  these  gracious  words  ! 

They  broke  and  heal'd  my  heart  at  once ; 
Constrain'd  me  to  become  the  Lord's, 
And  all  my  idol-gods  renounce. 


Hymn  78.  Zechariah.  391 

8  Now,  Satan,  thou  hast  lost  thy  aim, 

Against  this  brand  thy  threats  are  vain ; 
Jesus  has  pluck 'd  it  from  the  flame, 
And  who  shall  put  it  in  again  ? 

LXXVIII.     On  one  Stone  shall  be  seven  Eijes. 
Chap.  iii.  9. 

1  Jesus  Christ,  the  Lord's  anointed, 

Who  his  blood  for  sinners  spilt. 
Is  the  Stone  by  God  appointed, 
And  the  church  is  on  him  built : 
He  delivers  all  who  trust  him  from  their  guilts 

2  Many  eyes  at  once  are  fixed 

On  a  person  so  divine  ; 
Love,  with  awful  justice  mixed, 
In  this  great  redemption  shine  t 
Mighty  Jesus !  give  me  leave  to  call  thee  mine. 

3  By  the  Father's  eye  approved, 

Lo,  a  voice  is  heard  from  heav'n*; 
"  Sinners,  this  is  my  beloved, 
"  For  your  ransom  freely  given  : 
"  All  offences,  for  his  sake,  shall  be  forgiven.'' 

4  Angels  with  their  eyes  pursu'd  himf. 

When  he  left  his  glorious  throne  ; 
With  astonishment  they  view'd  him 

Put  the  form  of  servant  on  :         [knoMTi. 
Angels  worshipp'd  him  who  was  on  earth  un- 

5  Satan  and  his  host  amazed, 

Saw  this  stone  in  Zion  laid ; 
Jesus,  though  to  death  abased, 

Bruis'd  the  subtle  serpent's  headf , 
When,  to  save  us,  on  the  cross  his  blood  he  shed. 
*  Mattk.  iii.  17.      t  1  Tim.  iiL  16.      \  John  xii.  31, 


a52  Zechariah.  Book  I. 

6  When  a  guilty  sinner  sees  him, 

While  he  looks,  his  soul  is  heal'd  ; 
Soon  this  sight  from  anguish  frees  him, 
And  imparts  a  pardon  seal'd'^  : 
May  this  Saviour  be  to  all  our  hearts  reveaPd. 

7  With  desire  and  admiration, 

AH  his  blood-bought  flock  behold ; 
Him  who  wrought  out  their  salvation, 
And  enclos'd  them  in  his  foldf: 
Yet  their  warmest  love  and  praises  aie  too  cold. 

8  By  the  eye  of  carnal  reason 

Many  view  him  with  disdain;}:; 
How  will  they  abide  the  season 

When  he'll  come  with  all  his  train? 
To  escape  him  tlien  they'll  wish,but  wish  in  vain 

9  How  their  hearts  will  melt  and  tremble 

When  they  hear  his  awful  voiced; 
But  his  saints  he'll  then  assemble, 
As  his  portion  and  his  choice, 
And  receive  them  to  his  everlasting  joys. 

LXXIX.     C.     Praise  for  the  Fountain  opened. 
Chap.  xiii.  1. 

1  There  is  a  fountain  fiU'd  with  blood 

Drawn  from  Immanuel's  veins  ; 
And  sinners  plung'd  beneath  that  flood.. 
Lose  all  their  guilty  stains. 

2  The  dying  thief  rejoic*d  to  see 

That  fountain  in  his  day ; 

And  there  have  I,  as  vile  as  he, 

Wash'd  all  my  sins  away. 

*  Johniii.  15.  t  1  Pet.ii.  7. 

\  Ps.  cxviii.  22.  §  Rev-  i.  7. 


liymii  80.  Ulalachi,  393 

3  Dear  dying  Lamb,  thy  precious  blood 
Shall  never  lose  its  pow'r, 
Till  all  the  ransom'd  church  of  God 
Be  sav'd  to  sin  no  more. 

i  E'er  since,  by  faith,  I  saw  the  stream 
Thy  flowing  wounds  supply, 
Redeeming  love  has  been  my  theme, 
And  shall  be  till  I  die. 

5  Then  in  a  nobler,  sweeter  song 
I'll  sing  thy  pow'r  to  save  ; 
When  this  poor  lisping,  stamm'ring  tongue 
Lies  silent  in  the  grave. 

^  Lord,  I  believe  thou  hast  prepared, 
(Unworthy  though  I  be,) 
For  me  a  blood-bought  free  reward, 
A  golden  harp  for  me  ! 

7  'Tis  strung  and  tun'd,  for  endless  years, 
And  form'd  by  pow'r  divine  ; 
To  sound  in  God  the  Father's  cars 
No  other  name  but  thine. 

MALACHL 

LXXX.      T/iey  shall  be  mine^  saith  the  Lord. 
Chap.  iii.  16—18. 

1  When  sinners  utter  boasting  words, 
And  glory  in  their  shame  ; 
The  Lord,  well  pleas'd,  an  ear  affords 
To  those  who  fear  his  name. 

f2  They  often  meet  to  seek  his  face, 
r  And  what  they  do,  or  say, 
Is  noted  in  his  book  of  grace 
Against  another  day. 
Vol.  hi.  3  E 


3D4  Matthew,  Book  I. 

3  For  they  by  faith  a  day  descry, 

And  joyfully  expect, 
When  he,  descending  from  the  sky. 
His  jewels  will  collect. 

4  Unnotic'd  now,  because  unknown, 

A  poor  and  sufF'ring  few ; ' 
He  conies  to  claim  them  for  his  own, 
And  bring  them  forth  to  view. 

5  With  transport  then  their  Saviour's  care 

And  favour  they  shall  prove  ; 
As  tender  parents  guard  and  spare 
The  children  of  their  love. 

6  Assembled  worlds  will  then  discern 

The  saints  alone  are  blest ; 
When  wrath  shall  like  an  oven  burn, 
And  vengeance  strike  the  rest. 

MATTHEW. 

LXXXI.       The  Beggar.      Chap.  vii.  7,  8. 

1  Encourag'd  by  thy  word 

Of  promise  to  the  poor, 
Behold  a  beggar.  Lord, 

Waits  at  thy  mercy's  door  ! 
No  hand,  no  heart,  O  Lord,  but  thine, 
Can  nelp  or  pity  wants  like  mine. 

2  The  beggar's  usual  plea, 

Relief  from  men  to  gain, 
If  offer'd  unto  thee, 

I  know  thou  wouldst  disdain  ; 
And  pleas  which  move  thy  gracious  ear, 
Are  such  as  men  would  scorn  to  hear. 


Hymn  81.  Matthew.  W 

3  I  have  no  right  to  say, 

That  though  I  now  am  poor, 
Yet  once  there  was  a  day 

When  I  possessed  more : 
Thou  know'st  that  from  my  very  birth, 
I've  been  the  poorest  wretch  on  earth. 

4  Nor  can  I  dare  profess, 

As  beggars  often  do, 
Though  great  is  my  distress. 

My  wants  have  been  but  few : 
If  thou  shouldst  leave  my  soul  to  starve. 
It  would  be  what  I  well  deserve. 

5  'Twere  folly  to  pretend 

I  never  begg'd  before  ; 
Or  if  thou  now  befriend, 

I'll  trouble  thee  no  more : 
Thou  often  hast  reliev'd  my  pain, 
And  often  I  must  come  again. 

6  Though  crumbs  are  much  too  good 

For  such  a  dog  as  I, 
No  less  than  children's  food 
My  soul  can  satisfy  ; 

0  do  not  frown  and  bid  me  go, 

1  must  have  all  thou  canst  bestow. 

7  Nor  can  I  willing  be 

Thy  bounty  to  conceal 
From  others  who,  like  me, 

Their  wants  and  hunger  feej ; 
I'll  tell  them  of  thy  mercy's  store. 
And  try  to  send  a  thousand  more. 


*i  •oi).''iili> 


•m  Iflatihcw:  Book  1. 

8  Thy  thoughts,  thou  only  wise  ! 

Our  thoughts,  and  ways  transcend. 
Far  as  the  arched  skies 

Above  the  earth  extend*: 
Such  pleas  as  mine  men  would  not  bear, 
But  God  receives  a  beggar's  pray  V. 

LXXXII.     The  Letter.     Chap.  viii.  2,  5. 

\  Oft  as  the  leper*s  case  I  read, 
My  o\n\  describ'd  I  feel ; 
Sin  is  a  leprosy  indeed, 

Which  none  but  Christ  can  heal. 

2  A  while  I  would  have  passed  for  well, 

And  strove  my  spots  to  hide ; 
Till  it  broke  out  incurable, 
Too  plain  to  be  deny'd. 

3  Then  from  the  saints  I  sought  to  flee, 

And  dreaded  to  be  seen  ; 
I  thought  they  all  would  point  at  me, 
And  cry,  "  Unclean,  unclean  !'* 

4  What  anguish  did  my  soul  endure. 

Till  hope  and  patience  ceas'd  ! 
The  more  I  strove  myself  to  cure. 
The  more  the  plague  increas'd. 

5  While  thus  I  lay  distressed,  I  saw 

The  Saviour  passing  by  ; 
To  him,  tliough  fiird  with  shame  and  awe. 
I  rais'd  my  mournful  cry. 

*  Isa.  Iv.  8,  9. 


Hymn  83.  Matthew.  39; 

6  Lord,  thou  canst  heal  me  if  thou  wilt, 

For  thou  canst  all  things  do ; 
O  cleanse  my  leprous  soul  from  guilt, 
My  filthy  heart  renew ! 

7  He  heard,  and  with  a  gracious  look 

Pronounc'd  the  healing  word ; 
"  I  will — be  clean,"  and  while  he  spoke 
I  felt  my  health  restor'd. 

8  Come,  lepers,  seize  the  present  hour, 

The  Saviour's  grace  to  prove  ; 
He  can  relieve,  for  he  is  pow'r, 
He  will,  for  he  is  love. 


LXXXIII.     A  sick  Soul.     Chap.  ix.   12- 

1  Physician  of  my  sin- sick  soul. 

To  thee  I  bring  my  case ; 
My  raging  malady  control, 
And  heal  me  by  thy  grace. 

2  Pity  the  anguish  I  endure, 

See  how  I  mourn  and  pine ; 
For  never  can  I  hope  a  cure 
From  any  hand  but  thine. 

3  I  would  disclose  my  whole  complaint., 

But  where  shall  I  begin  ? 
No  words  of  mine  can  fully  paint 
That  worst  distemper,  sin. 

4  It  lies  not  in  a  single  part. 

But  through  my  frame  is  spread ; 
A  burning  fever  in  my  heart, 
A  palsy  in  my  head^ 


398  Matthew.  Book  I. 

5  It  makes  me  deaf,  and  dumb,  and  blind, 

And  impotent  and  kime ; 
And  overclouds,  and  fills  my  mind 
With  folly,  fear  and  shame. 

6  A  thousand  evil  thoughts  intrude 

Tumultuous  in  my  breast ; 
Which  indispose  me  for  my  food. 
And  rob  me  of  my  rest. 

7  Lord,  I  am  sick,  regard  my  cry, 

And  set  my  spirit  free  : 
Say,  canst  thou  let  a  sinner  die, 
Who  longs  to  live  to  thee  ? 

LXXXIV.      Satan  returning.     Chap.  xii.  43—45., 

1  When  Jesus  claims  the  sinner's  heart, 

Where  Satan  rul'd  before  ; 
The  evil  spirit  must  depart. 
And  dares  return  no  more. 

2  But  when  he  goes  without  constraint, 

And  wanders  from  his  home. 
Although  withdrawn,  'tis  but  a  feint, 
He  means  ag^n  to  come. 

3  Some  outward  change  perhaps  is  seen, 

If  Satan  quit  the  place ; 
But  though  the  house  seem  swept  and  clean, 
'Tis  destitute  of  grace. 

4  Except  the  Saviour  dwell  and  reign 

Within  the  sinner's  mind, 
Satan,  when  he  returns  again, 
Will  easy  entrance  find. 


Hymn  ^5.  Matthew.  ^1/9 

5  With  rage  and  malice  sevenfold, 

He  then  resumes  his  sway  ; 
No  more  by  checks  to  be  controlPd, 
No  more  to  go  away. 

6  The  sinner's  former  state  was  bad. 

But  worse  the  latter  far  ; 
He  lives  possessed,  blind,  and  mad, 
And  dies  in  dark  despair. 

7  Lord,  save  me  from  this  dreadful  end  i 

And  from  this  heart  of  mine, 
O  drive  and  keep  away  the  fiend 
Who  fears  no  voice  but  thine. 


LXXXV.     C.     The  Sower.     Chap.  xiii.  3. 

1  Ye  sons  of  earth,  prepare  the  plough, 

Break  up  your  fallow  ground  ! 
The  sower  is  gone  forth  to  sow, 
And  scatter  blessings  round. 

2  The  seed  that  finds  a  stony  soil 

Shoots  forth  a  hasty  blade  ; 
But  ill  repays  the  sower's  toil, 

Soon  wither'd,  scorch'd,  and  dead. 

3  The  thorny  ground  is  sure  to  balk 

All  hopes  of  harvest  there  : 
We  find  a  tall  and  sickly  stalk, 
But  not  the  fruitful  ear. 

4  The  beaten  path  and  highway  side 

Receive  the  trust  in  vain ; 
The  watchful  birds  the  spoil  divide. 
And  pick  up  all  the  grain. 


400  Matth(xv.  Book  1. 

5  But  where  the  Lord  of  grace  and  pow  r 

Has  bless'd  the  happy  field ; 
How  plenteous  is  the  golden  store 
The  deep-wrought  furrows  yield  *. 

6  Father  of  mercies,  we  have  need 

Of  thy  preparing  grace ; 
Let  the  same  hand  that  gives  the  seed 
Provide  a  fruitful  place. 


LXXXVI.   The  fVheat  and  Tares.  Ch.  xiii.  37—42. 

1  Though  in  the  outward  church  below 
The  wheat  and  tares  together  grow, 
Jesus  ere  long  will  weed  the  crop, 
And  pluck  the  tares,  in  anger,  up, 

2  Will  it  relieve  their  horrors  there. 
To  recollect  their  stations  here  ? 

How  much  they  heard,  how  much  they  knew. 
How  long  amongst  the  wheat  they  grew  ? 

3  Oh  !  this  will  aggravate  their  case  ! 
They  perish'd  under  means  of  grace  ; 
To  them  the  word  of  life  and  faith 
Became  an  instrument  of  death. 

4  We  seem  alike  when  thus  we  meet. 
Strangers  might  think  we  all  are  M'heat ; 
But  to  the  Lord's  all-searching  eyes, 
Each  heart  appears  without  disguise, 

5  The  tares  are  spar'd  for  various  ends  ; 
Some  for  the  sake  of  praying  friends  ; 
Others,  the  Lord,  against  their  will, 
Employs  lus  counsels  to  fulfil. 


Hymn  87.  Matt/mo.  401 

6  But  though  they  grow  so  tall  and  strong, 
His  plan  will  not  require  them  long ; 
In  harvest,  when  he  saves  his  own, 
The  tares  shall  into  hell  be  thrown. 


LXXXVII.     Peter  walking  ufion  the  Water. 
Chap.  xiv.  28 — 31. 

1  A  WORD  from  Jesus  calms  the  sea, 

The  stormy  wind  controls, 
And  gives  repose  and  liberty 
To  tempest-tossed  souls. 

2  To  Peter  on  the  waves  he  came, 

And  gave  him  instant  peace  ; 
Thus  he  to  me  reveal'd  his  name, 
And  bid  my  sorrows  cease. 

3  Then  filFd  with  wonder,  joy,  and  love, 

Peter's  request  was  mine  ; 
"  Lord,  call  me  down,  I  long  to  prove 
"  That  I  am  wholly  thine. 

4  "  Unmov'd  at  all  I  have  to  meet 

"  On  life's  tempestuous  sea, 
**  Hard  shall  be  easy,  bitter  sweet, 
"  So  I  may  follow  thee." 

5  He  heard  and  smil'd,  and  bid  me  try ; 

I  eagerly  obey'd ; 
But  when  from  him  I  turn'd  my  eye, 
How  was  my  soul  dismay 'd ! 

6  The  storm  increas'd  on  ev'ry  side, 

I  felt  my  spirit  shrink  : 
And  soon,  with  Peter,  loud  I  cry'd, 
"  Lord,  save  me,  or  I  sink," 
Vql..  IIL  3  F 


#02  Matthew.  Book  I. 

7  Kindly  he  caught  me  by  tht  hand, 

An^  said,  "  Why  dost  thou  fear, 
"  Since  thou  art  come  at  my  command, 
"  And  I  am  always  near  ? 

8  "  Upon  my  promise  rest  thy  hope, 

"  And  keep  my  love  in  view ; 
"  I  stand  engag'd  to  hold  thee  up, 
"  And  guide  thee  safely  through.'* 

LXXXVIII.   Woman  of  Canaan.  Chap.  xv.  22--2§. 

1  Pray'r  an  answer  will  obtain. 

Though  the  Lord  a  while  delay ;. 
None  shall  seek  his  face  in  vain, 
None  be  empty  sent  away. 

2  When  the  woman  came  from  Tyre, 

And  for  help  to  Jesus  sought ; 
Though  he  granted  her  desire, 
Yet  at  first  he  answer'd  not. 

3  Could  she  guess  at  his  intent, 

When  he  to  his  foU'wers  said, 
"  I  to  Israel's  sheep  am  sent, 

"  Dogs  mustnot  have  children's  bread.*' 

4  She  was  not  of  Israel's  seed. 

But  of  Canaan's  wretched  race ; 
Thought  herself  a  dog  indeed  : 
Was  not  this  a  hopeless  case  ? 

5  Yet  although  from  Canaan  sprung. 

Though  a  dog  herself  she  styl'd, 
She  had  Israel's  faith  and  tongue. 
And  was  o^vn'd  for  Abr'ham's  child. 


Hymn  89.  Matthew.  0)S 

6  From  his  words  she  draws  a  plea : 

"  Though  unworthy  children's  bread, 
"  'Tis  enough  for  one  like  me, 
"  If  with  crumbs  I  may  be  fed.'* 

7  Jesus  then  his  heart  reveal'd : 

"  Woman,  canst  thou  thus  believe  ? 
"  I  to  thy  petition  yield ; 

"  All  that  thou  canst  wish,  receive.'' 

8  'Tis  a  pattern  set  for  us, 

How  we  ought  to  wait  and  pray ; 
None  who  plead  and  wrestle  thus 
Shall  be  empty  sent  away. 


L.XXXIX.  What  think  ye  of  Chirst  ?  Chap.  xxii.  42;. 

1  What  think  you  of  Christ?  is  the  test, 

To  try  both  your  state  and  your  scheme  > 
You  cannot  be  right  in  the  rest, 

Unless  you  think  rightly  of  him. 
As  Jesus  appears  in  your  view, 

As  he  is  beloved  or  not ; 
So  God  is  disposed  to  you, 

And  mercy  or  wrath  are  your  lot. 

2  Some  take  him  a  creature  to  be, 

A  man  or  an  angel  at  most : 
Sure  these  have  not  feelings  like  me, 

Nor  know  themselves  wretched  and  lost. 
So  guilty,  so  helpless  am  I, 

I  durst  not  confide  in  his  blood, 
Nor  on  his  protection  rely, 

Unless  I  were  sure  he  is  God. 


404  Matthew.  liuok  I, 

3  Some  call  him  Saviour,  in  word, 

But  mix  their  own  works  with  his  plan  ; 
And  hope  he  his  help  will  afford, 

When  they  have  done  all  that  they  can  : 
If  doings  prove  rather  too  light, 

(A  little,  they  own,  they  may  fail,) 
They  purpose  to  make  up  full  weight, 

By  casting  his  name  in  the  scale. 

4  Some  style  him  the  pearl  of  great  price. 

And  say  he's  the  fountain  of  joys  ; 
Yet  feed  upon  folly  and  vice, 

And  cleave  to  the  world  and  its  toys  : 
Like  Judas,  the  Saviour  they  kiss. 

And  while  they  salute  him,  betray  ; 
Ah  !  what  will  profession  like  this 

Avail  in  his  terrible  day  ? 

5  If  ask 'd,  what  of  Jesus  I  think, 

Tho'  still  my  best  thoughts  are  but  poor, 
I  say,  he's  my  meat  and  my  drink, 

My  life,  and  my  strength,  and  my  store  ; 
My  Shepherd,  my  Husband,  my  Friend, 

My  Saviour  from  sin  and  from  thrall ; 
My  hope  from  beginning  to  end. 

My  portion,  my  Lord,  and  my  All. 


XC      The  foolish  Virgins*.     Chap.  xxv.  I, 

1  When,  descending  from  the  sky, 
The  Bridegroom  shall  appear, 
And  the  solemn  midnight  cry 
Shall  call  professors  near, 

*  Book  iii.    Hymn  72. 


Hymn  90.  Matthexv,  405 

How  the  sound  our  hearts  will  damp  ! 

How  will  shame  o'erspread  each  face ! 
If  we  only  have  a  lamp, 

Without  the  oil  of  grace. 

2  Foolish  virgins  then  will  wake, 

And  seek  for  a  supply  ; 
But  in  vain  the  pains  they  take 

To  borrow  or  to  buy : 
Then  with  those  the}'^  now  despise, 

Earnestly  they'll  wish  to  shai'e  j 
But  the  best  among  the  wise 

Will  have  no  oil  to  spare. 

3  Wise  are  they,  and  truly  blest, 

Who  then  shall  ready  lie  ! 
But  despair  will  seize  the  rest. 

And  dreadful  misery : 
Once,  they'll  cry,  we  scorn'd  to  doubt. 

Though  in  lies  our  trust  we  put ; 
Now  our  lamp  of  hope  is  out, 

The  door  of  mercy  shut. 

4  If  they  then  presume  to  plead, 

"  Lord,  open  to  us  now ; 
"  We  on  eardi  have  heard  and  pray'd, 

"  And  with  thy  saints  did  bow  :" 
He  will  answer  from  his  throne, 

"  Though  you  with  my  people  mix'd, 
'*  Yet  to  me  you  ne'er  were  known  ; 

**  Depart,  your  doom  is  fix 'd."^ 

5  O  that  none  who  worship  here 

May  hear  that  word,  "  Depart !" 
Lord,  impress  a  godly  fear 
On  each  professor's  heart ; 


40§  Maftheiv.  Book  I. 

Help  us,  Lord,  to  search  the  camp, 

Let  us  not  ourselves  beguile ! 
Trusting  to  a  dying  lamp. 

Without  a  stock  of  oil. 


XCI.  Peter  winning- and  re/ienting.    Chap.  xxvi.  75.' 

1  When  Peter  boasted,  soon  he  fell, 

Yet  was  by  grace  restor'd  ; 
His  case  should  be  regarded  well 
By  all  who  fear  the  Lord. 

2  A  voice  it  has,  and  helping  hand, 

Backsliders  to  recall ; 
And  cautions  those  who  think  they  stand, 
Lest  suddenly  they  fall. 

3  He  said,   "  Whatever  others  do, 

"  WithJesus  I'll  abide;" 
Yet  soon  amidst  a  murd'rous  crew 
His  sufF'ring  Lord  deny'd. 

4  He  who  had  been  so  bold  before, 

Now  trembled  like  a  leaf ; 
Not  only  lied,  but  curs'd  and  swore, 
To  gain  the  more  belief. 

5  While  he  blasphem'd,  he  heard  the  cock, 

And  Jesus  look*d  in  love  ; 
At  once,  as  if  by  lightning  struck, 
His^tongue  forbore  to  move. 

6  Deliver'd  thus  from  Satan's  snare, 

He  starts,  as  from  a  sleep  ; 
His  Saviour's  look  he  could  not  bear, 
But  hasted  forth  to  weep. 


Hymn  92.  Mark.  4m 

7  But  sure  the  faithful  cock  had  erow'd 

A  hundred  times  in  vain, 
Had  not  the  Lord  that  look  bestowed, 
The  meaning  to  explain. 

8  As  I,  like  Peter,  vows  have  made, 

Yet  acted  Peter's  part ; 
So  conscience,  like  the  cock,  upbraids 
My  base,  ungrateful  heart. 

9  Lord  Jesus,  hear  a  sinner's  cry, 

My  broken  peace  renew ; 
And  grant  one  pitying  look,  that  1 
May  weep  with  Peter  too. 

MARK. 

XCII.      The  Legion  disfiossessed.      Chap.  v.  18,  19. 

1  Legion  was  my  name  by  nature, 

Satan  rag*d  within  my  breast } 
Never  misery  was  greater, 

Never  sinner  more  possess'd  : 
Mischievous  to  all  around  me^ 

To  myself  the  greatest  foe ; 
Thus  I  was  when  Jesus  found  me, 

Fill'd  with  madness,  sin,  and  wp. 

2  Yet  in  this  forlorn  condition, 

When  he  came  to  set  me  free, 
I  reply 'd  to  my  Physician, 

"  What  have  I  to  do  with  thee?" 
But  he  would  not  be  prevented, 

Rescu'd  me  against  my  will ; 
Had  he  staid  till  I  consented, 

I  had  been  a  captive  still. 


408  Mark.  Cook  I. 

3  "  Sataii,  though  thou  fain  wouldst  have  it, 

"  Knovv%  this  soul  is  none  of  thine  ; 
"  I  have  shed  my  blood  to  save  it, 

"  Now  I  challenge  it  for  mine*  : 
"  Though  it  long  has  thee  resembled, 

"  Henceforth  it  shall  me  obey  :" 
Thus  he  spoke,  while  Satan  trembled, 

Gnash'd  his  teeth,  and  fled  away. 

4  Thus  my  frantic  soul  he  healed, 

Bid  my  sins  and  sorrows  cease ; 
"  Take,"  said  he,  "  my  pardon  sealed, 

"  I  have  sav'd  thee,  go  in  peace." 
Rather  take  me,  Lord,  to  heaven. 

Now  thy  love  and  grace  I  know ; 
Since  thou  hast  my  sins  forgiven, 

Why  should  I  remain  below  ? 


(( 


Love,"  he  said,  "  will  sweeten  labours, 
"  Thou  hast  something  yet  to  do  ; 
Go  and  tell  your  friends  and  neighbours 
"  What  my  love  has  done  for  you : 
Live  to  manifest  my  glory, 
"  Wait  for  heaven  a  little  space  ; 
Sinners,  when  they  hear  thy  story, 
"  Will  repent,  and  seek  my  face." 


XCIII.       The  Ruler's  Daughter  raised. 
Chap.  V.  39 — 42. 

1  Could  the  creatures  help  or  ease  us, 
Seldom  should  we  think  of  pray'r ; 
Few,  if  any,  come  to  Jesus, 
Till  reduc'd  to  self-despair : 

*  Book  iii.  Hymn  54.- 


Hymn  93.  Mark.  400 

Long  we  either  slight  or  doubt  him  ; 

But  when  all  the  means  we  try 
Prove  we  cannot  do  without  him, 

Then  at  last  to  him  we  ciy. 

2  Thus  the  ruler  when  his  daughter 

SufFer'd  much,  though  Christ  was  nigh, 
Still  deferr'd  it,  till  he  thought  her 

At  the  very  point  to  die  : 
Though  he  mourn'd  for  her  condition, 

He  did  not  entreat  the  Lord, 
Till  he  found  that  no  physician 

But  himself  could  help  afford. 

3  Jesus  did  not  once  upbraid  him, 

That  he  had  no  sooner  come ; 
But  a  gracious  answer  made  him. 

And  went  straightway  with  him  home  : 
Yet  his  faith  was  put  to  trial 

When  his  servants  came,  and  said, 
"  Though  he  gave  thee  no  denial, 

*'  *Tis  too  late,  the  child  is  dead." 

4  Jesus,  to  prevent  his  grieving, 

Kindly  spoke  and  eas'd  his  pain ; 
"  Be  not  fearful,  but  believing, 

"  Thou  shalt  see  her  live  again." 
When  he  found  the  people  weeping, 

"  Cease,"  he  said,  "  no  longer  mourn  ; 
"  For  she  is  not  dead,  but  sleeping;" 

Then  they  laughed  him  to  scorn. 


5  O  thou  meek  and  lowly  Saviour, 
How  determined  is  thy  love  ! 
Not  this  rude,  unkind  behaviour. 
Could  thy  gracious  purpose  move 
Vor.  III.  3  G 


410  Mark,  Book  I. 

Soon  as  he  the  room  had  enter'd, 
Spoke,  and  took  her  by  the  hand ; 

Death  at  once  his  prey  suiTender'd, 
And  she  liv'd  at  his  command. 

6  Fear  not  then,  distress'd  believer, 

Venture  on  his  mighty  name ; 
He  is  able  to  deliver, 

And  his  love  is  still  the  same ; 
Can  his  pity  or  his  power 

Suffer  thee  to  pray  in  vain  ; 
Wcdt  but  his  appointed  hour. 

And  thy  suit  thou  shalt  obtain. 


XCIV.     But  one  Loaf*.     Chap.  viii.  U. 

1  When  the  disciples  cross'd  the  lake 

With  but  one  loaf  on  board, 
How  strangely  did  their  hearts  mistake 
The  caution  of  their  Lord. 

2  *'  The  leaven  of  the  Pharisees 

"  Beware,'*  the  Saviour  said; 
They  thought,  it  is  because  he  sees 
We  have  forgotten  bread. 

3  It  seems  they  had  forgotten  too 

What  their  own  eyes  had  view'd  ; 
How  with  what  scarce  suffic'd  for  few, 
He  fed  a  multitude. 

4  If  five  small  loaves,  by  his  command, 

Could  many  thousands  serve ; 
Might  they  not  trust  his  gracious  hand^ 
Tliat  they  should  ne\er  stiu^ve  ? 

*  Eook  iii.  Hymn  57. 


Hymn  95.  Mark.  4)11 

5  They  oft  his  pow'r  aiid  love  had  known,, 

And  doubtless  were  to  blame  ; 
But  we  have  reason  good  to  own 
That  we  are  just  the  same. 

6  How  often  has  he  brought  relief, 

And  ev'ry  want  supply 'd ! 
Yet  soon,  again,  our  unbelief 

Says,  "  Can  the  Lord  provide  ?*' 

7  Be  thankful  for  one  loaf  to-day, 

Though  that  be  all  your  store  ; 
To-morrow,  if  you  trust  and  pray, 
Shall  timely  bring  you  more. 


XCV.     Bartimeus.     Chap.  x.  47,  48. 

1  "  Mercy,  O  thou  Son  of  David  I" 

Thus  blind  Bartimeus  pray'd  ; 
"  Others  by  thy  word  are  saved 

"  Now  to  me  afford  thine  aid," 
Many  for  his  crying  chid  him, 

But  he  call'd  the  louder  still ; 
Till  the  gracious  Saviour  bid  him 

"  Come,  and  ask  me  what  you  \\all." 

2  Money  was  not  what  he  wanted, 

Though  by  begging  us'd  to  live ; 
But  he  dsk'd,  and  Jesus  granted, 

Alms  which  none  but  he  could  give  : 
"  Lord,  remove  this  grievous  blindness, 

"  Let  my  eyes  behold  the  day  ;" 
Straight  he  saw,  and,  won  by  kindness, 

FoUow'd  Jesus  in  tlie  way. 


412  Mark.  Book  I. 

3  Oh  !  methinks  I  hear  him  praising, 

Publishing  to  all  around, 
"  Friends,  is  not  my  case  amazing"? 

'*  What  a  Saviour  I  have  found  ! 
"  Oh  !  that  all  the  blind  but  knew  him, 

"  And  would  be  advis'd  by  me  ! 
"  Surely,  would  they  hasten  to  him, 

"  He  would  cause  them  all  to  see." 


XCVI.     e.    The  House  of  Prayer.     Chap.  xi.    If. 

1  Thy  mansion  is  the  Christian's  heart, 

0  Lord,  thy  dwelling-place  secure  I 
Bid  the  unruly  throng  depart. 

And  leave  the  consecrated  door. 

2  Devoted  as  it  is  to  thee, 

A  thievish  swarm  frequents  the  place ; 
They  steal  away  my  joys  from  me. 
And  rob  my  Saviour  of  his  praise. 

3  There  too  a  sharp  designing  trade 

Sin,  Satan  and  the  ^\'orld  maintain ; 
Nor  cease  to  press  me,  and  persuade. 
To  part  with  ease  and  purchase  pain. 

4  I  know  them,  and  I  hate  their  din. 

Am  weary  of  the  bustling  crowd  ; 
But  while  their  voice  is  heard  within, 

1  cannot  serve  thee  as  I  would. 

5  Oh!  for  the  joy  thy  presence  gives, 

What  peace  shall  reign  when  thou  art  here  I 
Thy  presence  makes  this  den  of  thieves 
A  calm,  delightful  house  of  prayV. 


Hymn  97.  Mark.  413 

6  And  if  thou  make  thy  temple  shine, 
Yet,  self-abas'd,  will  I  adore  ; 
The  gold  and  silver  are  not  mine, 
I  give  thee  what  was  thine  before. 


XCVII.      The  blanled  Fig-tree.     Chap.  xi.  2Q. 

1  One  awful  word  which  Jesus  spoke 

Against  the  tree  which  bore  no  fruit. 
More  piercing  than  the  lightning's  stroke, 
Blasted  and  diy'd  it  to  the  root. 

2  But  could  a  tree  the  Lord  offend, 

To  make  him  show  his  anger  thus  ? 
He  surely  had  a  further  end, 
To  be  a  warning  word  to  us. 

3  The  fig-tree  by  its  leaves  was  known ; 

But  having  not  a  fig  to  show. 
It  brought  a  heavy  sentence  down, 
"  Let  none  hereafter  on  thee  grow." 

4  Too  many,  who  the  gospel  hear, 

Whom  Satan  blinds  and  sin  deceives, 
We  to  this  fig-tree  may  compare, 

They  yield  no  fruit,  but  only  leaves. 

5  Knowledge,  and  zeal,  dnd  gifts,  and  talk, 

Unless  combin'd  with  faith  and  love, 
And  witness'd  by  a  Gospel-walk, 
Will  not  a  true  profession  prove. 

6  Without  the  fruit  the  Lord  expects, 

Knowledge  will  make  our  state  the  worse: 
The  barren  trees  he  still  rejects, 

And  soon  will  blast  them  with  his  cirsc. 


414)  Liike.  fiook  T. 

7  O  Lord,  unite  our  hearts  in  pray'r  ! 
On  each  of  us  thy  spirit  send, 
That  we  the  fruits  of  grace  may  bear, 
And  find  acceptance  in  the  end. 


LUKE. 

XCVIII.      The  two  Debtors.     Chap.  vii.  47. 

1  Once  a  woman  silent  stood 

While  Jesus  sat  at  meat ; 
From  her  eyes  she  pour'd  a  flood, 

To  wash  his  sacred  feet : 
Shame  and  wonder,  joy  and  love, 

All  at  once  possess'd  her  mind, 
That  she  e'er  so  vile  could  prove. 

Yet  now  forgiveness  find. 

2  "  How  came  this  vile  woman  here  ? 

"  Will  Jesus  notice  such  ? 
"  Sure,  if  he  a  prophet  were, 

*'  He  would  disdain  her  touch !'' 
Simon  thus  with  scornful  heart, 

Slighted  one  whom  Jesus  lov'd  ; 
But  her  Saviour  took  her  part, 

And  thus  his  pride  reprov'd  : 

3  *'  If  two  men  in  debt  were  bound, 

"  One  less,  the  other  more, 
*'  Fifty,  or  five  hundred  pound, 

"  And  both  alike  were  poor ; 
"  Should  the  lender  both  forgive, 

"  When  he  saw  them  both  distressed, 
"  Which  of  them  Avould  you  believe 

"  Engag'd  to  love  him  best  ?" 


Hymn  99.  Luke.  Stlh 

4  "  Surely  he  who  most  did  owe," 

The  Pharisee  reply 'd  : 
Then  our  Lord,  "  By  judging  so, 

"  Thou  dost  for  her  decide. 
*'  Simon,  if  like  her  you  knew 

"  How  much  you  forgiveness  need ; 
"  You  like  her  had  acted  too, 

*'  And  welcom'd  me  indeed. 

5  "  When  the  load  of  sin  is  felt, 

"  And  much  forgiveness  known, 
"  Then  the  heart  of  course  will  melt, 

"  Though  hard  before  as  stone : 
"  Blame  not  then  her  love  and  tears, 

"  Greatly  she  in  debt  has  been  j 
"  But  I  have  remov'd  her  fears, 

"  And  pardon'd  all  her  sin." 

6  When  I  read  this  woman's  case. 

Her  love  and  humble  zeal, 
r  confess,  with  shame  of  face. 

My  heart  is  made  of  steel : 
Much  has  been  forgiv'n  to  me, 

Jesus  paid  my  heavy  score  ; 
What  a  creature  must  I  be, 

That  I  can  love  no  more ! 

XCIX.      The  good  Samaritan.      Chap,  x.  33 — 35. 

1  How  kind  the  good  Samaritan 

To  him  who  fell  among  the  thieves ! 
Thus  Jesus  pities  fallen  man, 

And  heals  the  wounds  the  soul  receives, 

2  Oh  !  I  remember  well  the  day. 

When  sorely  wounded,  nearly  slain. 
Like  that  poor  man  I  bleeding  lay, 

And  ^Toan'd  for  help,  but  groan 'd  in  vaiji. 


416  Luke  Book  I. 

3  Men  saw  me  in  this  helpless  case, 

And  pass'd  without  compassion  by ; 
Each  neighbour  turn'd  away  his  face, 
Unmoved  by  my  mournful  cry. 

4  But  he  whose  name  had  been  my  scorn, 

(As  Jews  Samaritans  despise,) 
Came,  when  he  saw  me  thus  forlorn, 
With  love  and  pity  in  his  eyes. 

5  Gently  he  rais'd  me  from  the  ground, 

Press'd  me  to  lean  upon  his  arm. 
And  into  ev'ry  gaping  wound 

He  pour'd  his  own  all-healing  balm. 

6  Unto  his  church  my  steps  he  led. 

The  house  prepar'd  for  sinners  lost, 
Gave  charge  I  should  be  cloth *d  and  fed, 
And  took  upon  him  all  the  cost. 

7  Thus  sav'd  from  death,  from  want  secur'd, 

I  wait  till  he  again  shall  come, 
(When  I  shall  be  completely  cur'd,) 
And  take  me  to  his  heav'nly  home. 

8  There,  through  eternal,  boundless  days, 

When  nature's  wheel  no  longer  rolls, 
How  shall  I  love,  adore,  and  praise, 
This  c:ood  Samaritan  to  souls ! 


C.     Martha  and  Murij.     Chap.  38 — 42, 

I  Mahtiia  her  love  and  joy  express'd 
By  cai'C  to  entertain  her  guest ; 
While  Maiy  sat  to  heai'  her  Lord, 
And  could  not  bear  to  lose  a  word. 


Hymn  101.  Luke,  417 

2  The  principle,  in  both  the  same, 
Produc'd  in  each  a  difF'rent  aim  ; 
The  one  to  feast  the  Lord  was  led, 
The  other  waited  to  be  fed. 

3  But  Mary  chose  the  better  part, 

Her  Saviour's  words  refresh'd  her  heart ; 
While  busy  Martha  angry  grew, 
And  lost  her  time  and  temper  too. 

4  With  warmth  she  to  her  sister  spoke, 
But  brought  upon  herself  rebuke : 

"  One  thing  is  needful,  and  but  one, 
"  Why  do  thy  thoughts  on  many  run  ?'* 

5  How  oft  are  we  like  Martha  vex'd, 
Encumber'd,  hurried,  and  perplex'd? 
While  trifles  so  engross  our  thought, 
The  one  thing  needful  is  forgot. 

6  Lord,  teach  us  this  one  thing  to  choose, 
Which  they  who  gain  can  never  lose ; 
Sufficient  in  itself  alone. 

And  needful,  were  the  world  our  own. 

7  Let  grov'lling  hearts  the  world  admilve, 
Thy  love  is  all  that  I  require ! 
Gladly  I  may  the  rest  resign. 

If  the  one  needful  thing  be  mine ! 


CI.     The  Heart  taken.      Chap.  xi.  21,  33. 

1  The  castle  of  the  human  heart, 

Strong  in  its  native  sin. 
Is  guarded  well  in  every  part. 

By  him  who  dwells  within. 
Vol.  IIIv  3  H 


418  Luke.  Book  I. 

2  For  Satan  there  in  ai'ms  resides, 

And  calls  the  place  his  o^^'n  ; 
With  care  against  assaults  prov.des, 
And  rules  as  on  a  throne. 

3  Each  traitor  thought  on  him  as  chief, 

In  blind  obedience  waits ; 
And  pride,  self-Avill,  and  unbelief, 
Are  posted  at  the  gates. 

4  Thus  Satan  for  a  season  reigns, 

And  keeps  his  goods  in  peace  ; 
The  soul  is  pleas'd  to  wear  his  chains, 
Nor  wishes  a  release. 

5  But  Jesus,  stronger  far  than  he, 

In  his  appointed  hour. 
Appears  to  set  his  people  free 
From  the  usurper's  pow'r. 

6  "  This  heart  I  bought  with  blood,"  he  says, 

"  And  now  it  shall  be  mine  ;" 
His  voice  the  strong  one  arm'd  dismays, 
He  knows  he  must  resign. 

7  In  spite  of  unbelief  and  pride. 

And  self,  and  Satan's  art. 
The  gates  of  brass  fly  open  wide, 
And  Jesus  wins  the  heart. 

8  The  rebel  soul  that  once  withstood 

The  Saviour's  kindest  call. 
Rejoices  now,  by  grace  subdu'd, 
To  serve  him  with  her  aJI. 


Hymn.  102.  Luke.  419 


CII.      The  Worldling.     Chap.  xii.  16—21. 

1  "  My  barns  are  full,  my  stores  increase, 

"  And  now  for  many  years, 
"  Soul,  eat  and  drink,  and  take  thine  ease, 
"  Secure  from  wants  and  fears." 

2  Thus  while  a  worldling  boasted  once, 

As  many  now  presume, 
He  heard  the  Lord  himself  pronounce 
His  sudden,  awful  doom. 

3  "  This  night,  vain  fool,  thy  soul  must  pass 

"  Into  a  world  unknown  : 
*'  And  who  shall  then  the  stores  possess 
"  Which  thou  hast  call'd  thine  own." 

3  Thus  blinded  mortals  fondly  scheme 
For  happiness  below ; 
Till  death  disturbs  the  pleasing  dieam, 
And  they  awake  to  wo. 

5  Ah  !  who  can  speak  the  vast  dismay 

That  fills  the  sinner's  mind, 
When,  torn  by  death's  strong  hand  away, 
He  leaves  his  all  behind. 

6  Wretches,  who  cleave  to  earthly  things, 

But  are  not  rich  to  God  ; 
Their  dying  hour  is  full  of  stings, 
And  hell  their  dark  abode. 

7  Dear  Saviour,  make  us  timely  wise, 

Thy  Gospel  to  attend. 
That  we  may  live  above  the  skies, 
When  this  poor  life  shall  end. 


490^  Luke.  IJook  I. 

CIII.     T/ie  Barren  Fig-tree.     Cliap.  xiii.  6 — f » 

1  Th  e  church  a  garden  is 

In  which  believers  stand, 
Like  ornamental  trees 

Planted  by  God's  o\vii  hand  : 
His  Spirit  waters  all  the  roots, 
And  every  branch  abounds  with  fruits, 

2  But  other  trees  there  are 

In  this  enclosure  grow, 
Which,  though  they  promise  fair, 
Have  only  leaves  to  show : 
No  fruits  of  grace  are  on  them  found, 
They  stand  but  cumb'rers  of  the  ground, 

3  The  under  gard'ner  grieves. 

In  vain  his  strength  he  spends, 
For  heaps  of  useless  leaves 

Afford  him  small  amends  : 
He  hears  the  Lord  his  will  make  known, 
To  cut  the  barren  fig-trees  down. 

4  How  difficult  his  post. 

What  pangs  his  bowels  move, 
To  find  his  wishes  crost. 

His  labours  useless  prove  ! 
His  last  relief,  his  earnest  pray'r, 
"  Lord,  spare  them  yet  another  year : 

5  "  Spare  them,  and  let  me  try 

"  What  further  means  may  do ; 
"  I'll  fresh  manure  apply, 

"  My  digging  I'll  renew : 
"  Who  knows  but  yet  they  fruit  may  yield ! 
"  Jf  not—'tis  just,  they  must  be  fell'd." 


Ilymii  104.  Luke,  ^% 

6  If  under  means  of  grace 

No  gracious  fruits  appear, 
It  is  a  dreadful  case ; 

Though  God  may  long  forbeai', 
At  length  he'll  strike  the  threat'ned  blow*^, 
And  lay  the  barren  fig-tree  low. 

CIV.      The  Prodigal  Son.     Chap.  2^v.   11 — 24. 

1  Afflictions,  though  they  seem  severe. 

In  mercy  oft  are  sent ; 
They  stopp'd  the  prodigal's  career, 
And  forc'd  him  to  repent. 

2  Although  he  no  relentings  felt, 

Till  he  had  spent  his  store  ; 
His  stubborn  heart  began  to  melt 
When  famine  pinch'd  him  sore. 

3  "  What  have  I  gain'd  by  sin,"  he  said> 

"  But  hunger,  shame,  and  fear; 
"  My  father's  house  abounds  with  bread, 
"  While  I  am  starving  here. 

4  *'  I'll  go  and  tell  him  all  I've  done, 

*'  And  fall  before  his  face ; 
"  Unworthy  to  be  call'd  his  soij 
"  I'll  seek  a  servant's  place." 

5  His  father  saw  him  coming  back. 

He  saw,  and  ran,  and  smil'd ; 
And  threw  his  arms  around  the  neck 
Of  his  rebellious  child. 

6  "  Father,  I've sinn'd — ^but,  Oh  forgive!'' 

"  I've  heai'd  enough,"  he  said ; 

"  Rejoice  my  house,  my  son's  alive, 

"  For  whom  I  moum'd  as  dead. 

•  Book  II.  Hymn  26. 


423  Luke.  Book  L 

7  "  Now  let  the  fatted  calf  be  slain, 

"  And  spread  the  news  around ; 

"  My  son  was  dead,  but  lives  again, 

"  Was  lost,  but  now  is  found." 

8  'Tis  thus  the  Lord  his  love  reveals. 

To  call  poor  sinners  home  ; 
More  than  a  father's  love  he  feels, 
And  welcomes  all  that  come. 

CV.    The  Rich  Man  and  Lazarus.  Ch.  xvi.  19 — 2j, 

1  A  Worldling  spent  each  day 

In  luxuiy  and  state  ; 
While  a  believer  lay, 

A  beggar  at  his  gate  : 
Think  not  the  Lord's  appointment  strange  ; 
Death  made  a  great  and  lasting  change. 

2  Death  brought  the  saint  release 

From  want,  disease,  and  scorn  ; 
And  to  the  land  of  peace. 

His  soul  by  angels  borne. 
In  Abr'ham's  bosom  safely  plac'd, 
Enjoys  an  everlasting  feast. 

3  The  rich  man  also  dy'd, 

And  in  a  moment  fell 
From  all  his  pomp  and  pride 
Into  the  flames  of  hell : 
The  beggar's  bliss  from  far  beheld, 
His  soul  with  double  anguish  fiU'd. 

4  "  O  Abr'ham  send,"  he  cries, 

(But  his  request  ^as  ^-ain,) 
"  The  beggar  from  the  skies 

"  To  mitigate  my  pain  ! 
"  One  drop  of  ^^'ater  I  entreat, 
''  To  sooth  my  tongue*s  tormenting  heat." 


Hymn  106.  Lnkc  423 

5  Let  all  who  worldly  pelf 

And  worldly  spirits  have, 
Observe,  each  for  himself, 

The  ans\\er  Abr'ham  gave  ; 
"  Remember  thou  wast  fill'd  with  good, 
'■^  While  the  poor  beggar  pin'd  for  food. 

6  "  Neglected  at  tliy  door, 

"  With  tears  he  begg'd  his  bread ; 
"  But  now  he  weeps  no  more, 

"  His  griefs  and  pains  are  fled  : 
"  His  joys  eternally  will  flow, 
"  While  thine  expire  in  endless  wo." 

7  Lord,  make  us  truly  wise, 

To  choose  thy  people's  lot, 
And  earthly  joys  despise. 

Which  soon  will  be  forgot : 
The  greatest  evil  we  can  fear, 
Is  to  possess  our  portion  here ! 

CVI.      The  Imfiortnnate  Widonv*.     Ch.  xviii.  1—7. 

1  Our  Lord,  who  knows  full  well 

The  heart  of  ev!ry  saint. 
Invites  us  by  a  parable, 
To  pray  and  never  faint. 

2  He  bows  his  gracious  ear. 

We  never  plead  in  vain ; 
Yet  we  must  wait  till  he  appear. 
And  pray,  and  pray  again. 

3  Though  unbelief  suggest, 

Why  should  we  longer  wait  ? 
He  bids  us  never  give  him  rest, 
But  be  importunate. 

*  Book  II.  Hymn  60. 


4^  LuJce.  Boot  I. 

4  'Twas  thus  a  widow  poor, 

Without  support  or  friend, 
Beset  the  unjust  judge's  door, 
And  gain'd,  at  last,  her  end. 

5  For  her  he  little  car'd, 

As  little  for  the  laws  ; 
Nor  God,  nor  man,  did  he  regard  ; 
Yet  he  espous'd  her  cause. 

^  She  urg'd  him  day  and  night, 
Would  no  denial  take  ; 
At  lengtli  he  said,  "  I'll  do  her  right, 
"  For  my  own  quiet's  sake." 

7  And  shall  not  Jesus  hear  « 

His  chosen  when  they  cry  ? 
Yes,  though  he  may  a  while  forbear, 
He'll  help  them  from  on  high, 

8  His  nature,  truth,  and  love, 

Engage  him  on  their  side  ; 
When  they  are  griev'd,  his  bowels  move, 
And  can  they  be  deny'd? 

9  Then  let  us  earnest  be, 

And  never  faint  in  prayV ; 
He  loves  our  importunity, 

And  makes  our  cause  his  care. 

CVII.     Zaccheus.     Chap.  xix.  1—6 

1  Zaccheus  climb 'd  the  tree, 

And  thought  himself  unknown  : 
But  how  surpris'd  was  he 

When  Jesus  call'd  him  down ! 

The  Lord  beheld  him,  though  conceal'd, 

And  by  a  word  his  pow*r  reveal'd. 


Hymn  lOr.  Luke.  42^ 

2  Wonder  aiid  joy  at  once 

Were  painted  in  his  face  ; 
"  Does  he  my  name  pronounce, 

"  And  does  he  know  my  case  ? 
"  Will  Jesus  deign  with  me  to  dine  ? 
"  Lord,  I,  with  all  I  have,  am  thine.'* 

3  Thus  where  the  Gospel's  preach'd^ 

And  sinners  come  to  hear, 
The  hearts  of  some  are  reach'd 

Before  they  are  aware  : 
The  word  directly  speaks  to  them, 
And  seems  to  point  them  out  by  name. 

4  'Tis  curiosity 

Oft  brings  them  in  the  way, 
Only  the  man  to  see. 

And  hear  what  he  can  say  ; 
But  how  the  sinner  starts  to  find 
The  preacher  knows  his  inmost  mind  ! 

5  His  long- forgotten  faults 

Are  brought  again  in  view, 
And  all  his  secret  thoue;hts 

o 

Reveal 'd  in  public  too  : 
Though  compass'd  with  a  crowd  about, 
The  searchins:  word  has  found  him  out. 


'& 


6  While  thus  distressing  pain 
And  soiTow  fills  his  heart, 
He  hears  a  voice  again 

That  bids  his  fears  depart : 
Then,  like  Zaccheus,  he  is  blest, 
And  Jesus  deigns  to  be  his  guest. 


Vol.  III'. 


426  Luke.  Book  I. 

CVIII.      The  Believer's  Danger^  Safety^  and  Duty. 
Chap,  xxii.  31,  32. 

1  "  Simon,  beware!"  the  Saviour  said, 

"  Satan,  your  subtle  foe, 
"  Already  has  his  measures  laid 
"  Your  soul  to  overthrow. 

2  "  He  wants  to  sift  you  all  as  wheat, 

"  And  thinks  his  vict'ry  sure ; 
"  But  I  his  malice  will  defeat, 
"  My  pray'r  shall  faith  secure." 

3  Believers,  tremble  and  rejoice. 

Your  help  and  danger  view  ; 

This  warning  has  to  you  a  voice. 

This  promise  speaks  to  you. 

4  Satan  beholds  with  jealous  eye. 

Your  privilege  and  joy  ; 
He's  always  watchful,  always  nigh, 
To  tear  and  to  destroy. 

5  But  Jesus  lives  to  intercede. 

That  faith  may  still  prevail ; 
He  will  support  in  time  of  need, 
And  Satan's  arts  shall  fail. 

6  Yet  let  us  not  the  warning  slight, 

But  watchful  still  be  found  ; 
Though  faith  cannot  be  slain  in  fight, 
It  may  receive  a  wound. 

7  While  Satan  watches,  dare  \\c  sleep  ? 

We  must  our  guard  maintain  ; 
But,  Lord,  do  thou  the  city  keep. 
Or  else  we  watch  in  vain*. 
*  Psalm  cxxvii.  l. 


Hymn  109.  Luke.  42f 


CIX.     Father^forgive  them.     Chap,  xxiii.  34. 

1  "  Father,  forgive,"  the  Saviour  said, 

"  They  know  not  what  they  do ;" 
His  heart  was  mov'd  when  thus  he  pray'd 
For  me,  my  friends,  and  you. 

2  He  saw  that  as  the  Jews  abus'd 

And  crucify 'd  his  flesh  ; 
So  he,  by  us,  would  be  refus'd. 
And  crucify'd  afresh. 

3  Through  love  of  sin,  we  long  were  prone 

To  act  as  Satan  bid ; 
But  now  with  grief  and  shame  we  own, 
We  knew  not  M^hat  we  did. 

4  We  knew  not  the  desert  of  sin. 

Nor  whom  we  thus  defy'd ; 
Nor  where  our  guilty  souls  had  been, 
If  Jesus  had  not  dy*d. 

5  We  knew  not  what  a  law  we  broke, 

How  holy,  just,  and  pure  ! 
Nor  what  a  God  we  durst  provoke, 
But  thought  ourselves  secure. 

6  But  Jesus  all  our  guilt  foresaw, 

And  shed  his  precious  blood, 
To  satisfy  the  holy  law, 

And  make  our  peace  with  God. 

7  My  sin,  dear  Saviour,  made  thee  bleed, 

Yet  didst  thou  pray  for  me ! 
I  knew  not  what  I  did,  indeed, 
When  ignorant  of  thee. 


425.  Luke.  fiook  I. 


ex.      T/ie  Two  Malefactors.     Chap,  xxiii.   39— 43. 

1  Sovereign  grace  has  pow'r  alone 
To  subdue  a  heart  of  stone  ; 

And  the  moment  grace  is  felt, 
Then  the  hardest  heart  will  melt, 

2  When  the  Lord  was  crucify *d, 
Two  transgressors  with  him  dy'd ; 
One,  with  vile  blaspheming  tongue^ 
ScofF'd  at  Jesus  as  he  hung. 

3  Thus  he  spent  his  wicked  breath, 
In  the  very  jaws  of  death  ; 
Perish'd,  as  too  many  do, 
With  the  Saviour  in  liis  view. 

4  But  the  other,  touch'd  with  grace, 
Saw  the  danger  of  his  case  ; 
Faith  receiv'd  to  own  the  Lord, 
Whom  the  scribes  and  priests  abhoiT'd, 

5  "  Lord,"  he  pray 'd,  "  remember  me, 
"  When  in  glorj-  thou  shalt  be  :" — 

"  Soon  with  me,"  the  Lord  replies, 
^'  Thou  shalt  rest  in  paradise." 

6  This  was  wondrous  grace  indeed, 
Grace  vouchsaf 'd  in  time  of  need  ! 
Sinners,  trust  in  Jesu's  name, 
Yoii  shall  find  him  still  t\\e  same. 

7  But  beware  of  unbelief. 
Think  upon  the  hard'ned  thief ; 
If  the  Gospel  you  disdain, 
Christ,  to  you,  will  die  in  vain. 


Hymn  111.  John.  .  429 


JOHN. 


CXI.     The  If  Oman  of  Samaria.     Chap.  iv.  28. 

1  Jesus,  to  what  didst  thou  submit 

To  save  thy  dear-bought  flock  from  hell  I 
Like  a  poor  traveller,  see  him  sit, 
Athirst  and  weary  by  the  well. 

2  The  woman  who  for  water  came, 

(What  great  events  on  small  depend,) 
Then  learnt  the  glory  of  his  name. 
The  well  of  life,  the  sinner's  friend  ! 

3  Taught  from  her  birth  to  hate  the  Jews, 

And  fiU'd  with  party  pride,  at  first 
Her  zeal  indue 'd  her  to  refuse 

Water  to  quench  the  Saviour's  thirst. 

4  But  soon  she  knew  the  gift  of  God  ; 

And  Jesus,  v.  hom  she  scorn'd  before, 
Uiiask'd,  that  drink  on  her  bestow 'd, 

Which  whoso  tastes  shall  thirst  no  more. 

5  His  words  her  prejudice  remov'd. 

Her  sin  she  felt,  relief  she  found  ; 
She  saw  and  hciu-d,  believ'd  and  lov'd. 
And  ran  to  tell  her  neighbours  round  : 

G  O  come,  this  wondrous  man  behold  ! 
The  promis'd  Saviour  !  this  is  he, 
Whom  ancient  prophecies  foretold. 
Born,  from  our  guilt  to  set  us  free. 


430  John.  Book  1* 

7  Like  her,  in  ignorance  content, 

I  worshipp'd  long  I  knew  not  what ; 
Like  her,  on  other  things  intent, 
I  found  him  when  I  sought  him  not. 

S  He  told  me  all  that  e'er  I  did. 

And  told  me  all  was  pardon 'd  too ; 
And  now,  like  her,  as  he  has  bid, 
I  live  to  point  him  out  to  you. 


CXII.   The  Pool  of  Bethesda*.     Chap.  v.  3— 4. 

1  Beside  the  Gospel  pool 

Appointed  for  the  poor, 
From  year  to  year  my  helpless  soul 
Has  waited  for  a  cure. 

2  How  often  have  I  seen 

The  healing  waters  move  ; 
And  others,  round  me,  stepping  in, 
Their  efficacy  prove  ? 

3  But  my  complaints  remain ; 

I  feel  the  very  same ; 
As  full  of  guilt,  and  fear,  and  pain, 
As  when  at  first  I  came. 

4  Oh  would  the  Lord  appear 

My  malady  to  heal ! 
He  knows  how  long  I've  languish'd  here, 
And  what  distiess  I  feel. 

5  How  often  have  I  thought 

Why  should  I  longer  lie  ? 
Surely  the  mercy  I  have  sought 
Is  not  for  such  as  I. 

*  Book  III.  Hymn  7. 


Hymn  US.  John.  481 

6  But  whither  can  I  go  ? 

There  is  no  other  pool 
Where  streams  of  sov 'reign  virtue  flow 
To  make  a  sinner  whole. 

7  Here  then,  from  day  to  day, 

rU  wait,  and  hope,  and  try ; 
Can  Jesus  hear  a  sinner  pray, 
Yet  suffer  him  to  die  ? 

S  No :  he  is  full  of  grace  ; 
He  never  will  permit 
A  soul  that  fain  would  see  his  face^ 
To  perish  at  his  feet. 


CXIII.     Another. 

1  Here  at  Bethesda's  pool,  the  poor, 

The  wither 'd,  halt,  and  blind. 
With  waiting  hearts  expect  a  cure, 
And  free  admittance  find. 

2  Here  streams  of  wondrous  virtue  flow, 

To  heal  a  sin-sick  soul ; 
To  wash  the  filthy  white  as  snow, 
And  make  the  wounded  whole. 

3  The  dumb  break  forth  in  songs  of  praise, 

The  blind  their  sight  receive  ; 
The  cripple  runs  in  wisdom's  ways, 
The  dead  revive  and  live  ! 

4  Restrain'd  to  no  one  case,  or  time, 

These  waters  always  move  ; 
Sinners  in  every  age  and  clime 
Their  vital  influence  prove. 


.4.32  Johtt.  Book  I. 

5  Yet  numbers  daily  near  them  lie, 

Who  meet  ^\'ith  no  relief ; 
With  life  in  view  they  pine  and  die 
In  hopeless  unbelief. 

6  'Tis  sti'ange  they  should  refuse  to  bathe, 

And  yet  frequent  the  pool  ; 
But  none  can  even  wish  for  faith, 
While  love  of  sin  bears  rule. 

7  Satan  their  consciences  has  seal'd, 

And  stupify'd  their  thought ; 
For  were  they  willing  to  be  heal'd, 
The  cure  would  soon  be  wrought. 

8  Do  thou,  dear  Saviour,  interpose, 

Their  stubborn  wills  constrain ; 
Or  else  to  them  the  water  flows, 
And  grace  is  preach'd,  in  vain. 

CXIV.      The  Disciples  at  Sea*.     Chap.  vi.    16 — 21. 

1  Constrain'd  by  their  Lord  to  embark, 

And  venture,  without  him,  to  sea ; 
The  season  tempestuous  and  dark. 

How  griev'd  the  disciples  must  be  ! 
But  though  he  remained  on  the  shore. 

He  spent  the  night  for  them  in  prayer  ; 
They  still  were  as  safe  as  before. 

And  equally  under  his  care. 

2  They  strove,  though  in  vain,  for  a  while, 

The  force  of  the  waves  to  withstand  ; 
But  Avhen  they  were  ^veary'd  with  toilj 
The}-  saw  their  dear  Saviour  at  hand : 
*  Book  II.  Hvnin  87. 


H3''2nn  114.  John, 

They  gladly  receiv'd  him  on  board, 
His  presence  their  spirits  reviv'd, 

The  sea  became  calm  at  his  word, 
And  soon  at  their  port  they  arriv'd. 

3  We,  like  the  disciples,  are  toss'd 

By  storms  on  a  perilous  deep ; 
But  cannot  be  possibly  lost. 

For  Jesus  has  charge  of  the  ship  : 
Though  billows  and  winds  are  enrag'd, 

And  threaten  to  make  us  their  sport, 
This  pilot  his  word  has  engag'd 

To  bring  us,  in  safety,  to  port. 

4  If  sometimes  we  struggle  alone. 

And  he  is  withdrawn  from  our  view  \ 
It  makes  us  more  willing  to  own 

We  nothing  vnthout  him  can  do  : 
Then  Satan  our  hopes  would  assail, 

But  Jesus  is  still  within  call ; 
And  when  our  poor  eflbrts  quite  fail. 

He  comes  in  good  time  and  does  all. 

5  Yet,  Lord,  we  are  ready  to  shrink. 

Unless  we  thy  presence  perceive  ; 
O  save  us,  (we  cry,)  or  we  sink, 

We  would,  but  we  cannot  believe  : 
The  night  has  been  long  and  severe. 

The  winds  and  the  seas  are  still  high, 
Dear  Saviour,  this  moment  appear, 

And  say  to  our  souls,  "  It  is  I*.'* 

*  Book  III.  Hymn  18. 


Vol.  III.  3  K 


43^  John.  Book  I. 


CXV.      Will  ye  also  go  away  ?     Chap.  vi.  67 — 69. 

1  When  any  turn  from  ZIon's  way, 

(Alus  !  what  numbers  do  !) 
Methinks  I  hear  my  Saviour  say, 
"  Wilt  thou  forsake  me  too  ?" 

2  Ah,  Lord  !  with  such  a  heart  as  mine, 

Unless  thou  hold  me  fast, 
I  feel  I  must,  I  shall  decline, 
And  prove  like  them  at  last. 

3  Yet  thou  alone  hast  pow'r,  I  know, 

To  save  a  wretch  like  me  ; 
To  whom,  or  whither,  could  I  go, 
If  I  should  turn  from  thee  ? 

4  Beyond  a  doubt  I  rest  assur'd. 

Thou  art  the  Christ  of  God, 
Who  hast  eternal  life  secur'd 
By  promise  and  by  blood. 

5  The  help  of  men  and  angels  join'd. 

Could  never  reach  my  case  ; 
Nor  can  I  hope  relief  to  find, 
But  in  thy  boundless  grace. 

6  No  voice  but  thine  can  give  me  rest, 

And  bid  my  fears  depart ; 
No  love  but  thine  can  make  me  bless'd. 
And  satisfy  my  heart. 

7  What  anguish  has  that  question  stirr'd, 

If  I  will  also  go? 
Yet,  Lord,  relying  on  thy  word, 
I  humbly  answer,  No. 


Hymn  116,  JoKn.  436 


GXVI.  The  Resurrection  and  the  Life.    Chap.  xi.  25. 

1  "  I  AM,"  saith  Christ,  "your  glorious  head," 

(May  we  attention  give,) 
"  T-^he  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
"  The  life  of  all  that  live. 

2  "  By  faith  in  me  the  soul  receives 

"  New  life,  though  dead  before  ; 
"  And  he  that  in  my  name  believes, 
.  "  Shall  live,  to  die  no  more  ! 

3  "  The  sinner,  sleeping  in  his  grave, 

"  Shall  at  my  voice  awake  ; 
*'  And  when  I  once  begin  to  save, 
"  My  work  I  ne'er  forsake." 

4  Fulfil  thy  promise,  gracious  Lord, 

On  us  assembled  here ; 
Put  forth  thy  Spirit  with  the  word, 
And  cause  the  dead  to  hear. 

5  Preserve  the  pow'r  of  faith  alive 

In  those  who  love  thy  name  ; 
For  sin  and  Satan  daily  strive 
To  quench  the  sacred  flame. 

6  Thy  pow*r  and  mercy  first  prevail'd. 

From  death  to  set  us  free  ; 
And  often  since  our  life  had  fail'd, 
If  not  renew'd  by  thee. 

7  To  thee  we  look,  to  thee  we  bow, 

To  thee  for  help  we  call ; 
Our  life  and  resurrection  thou. 
Our  hope,  our  joy,  our  aD. 


436  John,  Book  I. 

CXVII.      Weeping  Mary.     Chap.  xx.   11  —  16. 

1  Mary  to  her  Saviour's  tomb 

Hasted  at  the  early  dawn  ; 
Spice  she  brought,  and  sweet  iTcrfume  ; 

But  the  Lord  she  lov'd  was  gone. 
For  a  while  she  weeping  stood, 

Struck  with  sorrow  and  surprise, 
Shedding  tears,  a  plenteous  flood, 

For  her  heart  supply'd  her  eyes. 

2  Jesus,  who  is  always  near, 

Though  too  often  unpcrceiv'd, 
Came,  his  drooping  child  to  cheer, 

Kindly  asking  why  she  griev'd. 
Though  at  first  she  knew^  him  not, 

When  he  call'd  her  by  her  name, 
Then  her  griefs  were  all  forgot, 

For  she  found  he  was  the  same. 

3  Grief  and  sighing  quickly  fled, 

When  she  heard  his  welcome  voice  ; 
Just  before  she  thought  him  dead, 

Now  he  bids  her  heart  rejoice. 
What  a  change  his  word  can  make, 

Turning  darkness  into  day  ! 
You  who  weep  for  Jesu's  sake. 

He  will  wipe  your  tears  awa3% 

4  He  who  came  to  comfort  her, 

When  she  thought  her  all  was  lost, 
Will  for  your  relief  appear. 

Though  you  now  are  tempest-toss'd  : 
On  his  word  your  burden  cast, 

On  his  love  your  thoughts  employ ; 
Weeping  for  a  while  my  last. 

But  the  morning  brings  the  joy. 


Hymn  110.  John.  437 

CXVIII.     C.      Lovest  thou  Me  ?      Chap.  xxi.   16. 

1  Hark,  my  soul !  it  is  the  Lord; 
*Tis  thy  Saviour,  hear  his  word ; 
Jesus  speaks  and  speaks  to  thee  : 

Say,  poor  sinner,  lov'st  thou  me  ? 

2  "  I  dehver'd  thee  when  bound, 

"  And,  when  wounded,  heal'd  thy  wound; 
"  Sought  thee  wand'ring,  set  thee  right, 
"  Turn'd  thy  darkness  into  Ught. 

3  "  Can  a  woman's  tender  care  • 

"  Cease  towards  the  child  she  bare  ? 
"  Yes,  she  may  forgetful  be, 
"  Yet  will  I  remember  thee. 

4  "  Mine  is  an  unchanging  love, 

"  Higher  than  the  heights  above ; 
"  Deeper  tkm  the  depths  beneath, 
"  Free  and  faithful,  strong  as  death. 

5  "  Thou  shalt  see  my  glory  soon, 

"  When  the  work  of  grace  is  done ; 
"  Partner  of  my  throne  shalt  be  ; 
"  Say,  poor  sinner,  lov'st  thou  me?" 

6  Lord,  it  is  my  chief  complaint, 
That  my  love  is  weak  and  faint ; 
Yet  I  love  thee  and  adore. 

Oh,  for  grace  to  love  thee  more  ! 

CXIX.     Another. 

1  'Tis  a  point  I  long  to  know, 

Oft  it  causes  anxious  thought ; 
Do  I  love  the  Lord,  or  no  ? 
Am  I  his,  or  am  I  not  ? 


438  John,  Book  I. 

2  If  I  love,  why  am  I  thus  ? 

Why  this  dull  and  lifeless  frame  ? 
Hardly,  sure,  can  they  be  worse, 
Who  have  never  heard  his  name  ! 

3  Could  my  heart  so  hard  remain, 

Pray'r  a  task  and  burden  prove, 
JEv'ry  trifle  give  me  pain, 
If  I  knew  a  Saviour's  love  ? 

At  When  I  turn  my  eyes  within, 

All  is  dark,  and  vain,  and  wild  ; 
FilPd  with  unbelief  and  sin, 
Can  I  deem  myself  a  child  ? 

5  If  I  pray,  or  hear,  or  read, 

Sin  is  mix'd  with  all  I  do  ; 
You  that  love  the  Lord  indeed, 
Tell  me,  is  it  thus  with  you  ? 

6  Yet  I  mourn  my  stubborn  will. 

Find  my  sin  a  grief  and  thi'all ; 
Should  I  grieve  for  what  I  feel. 
If  I  did  not  love  at  all  ? 

7  Could  I  joy  his  saints  to  meet. 

Choose  the  waj^s  I  once  abhorr'd, 
Find,  at  times,  the  promise  sweet, 
If  I  did  not  love  the  Lord  ? 

8  Lord,  decide  the  doubtful  case  ! 

Thou  who  art  thy  people's  sun, 
Shine  upon  thy  work  of  grace, 
If  it  be  indeed  begun. 

9  Let  me  love  thee  more  and  more, 

If  I  love  at  all,  I  pray  ; 
If  I  have  not  lov'd  before. 
Help  me  to  begin  to-day. 


Hymn  120.  Acts,  43? 


ACTS. 

CXX.     The  Death  of  Stefihen.     Chap.  rii.  54—69. 

1  As  some  tall  rock  amidst  the  waves 
The  fury  of  the  tempest  braves, 
While  the  fierce  billows,  tossing  high, 
Break  at  its  foot,  and,  murm'ring,  die  : 

2  Thus,  they  who  in  the  Lord  confide, 
Though  foes  assault  on  ev'ry  side, 
Cannot  be  mov'd  or  overthrown. 
For  Jesus  makes  their  cause  his  own. 

3  So  faithful  Stephen,  undismayed, 
The  malice  of  the  Jews  survey'd  ; 
The  holy  joy  which  fill'd  his  breast, 
A  lustre  on  his  face  impress'd. 

4  "  Behold!"  he  said,  "  the  world  of  light 
"  Is  open'd  to  my  strengthen'd  sight ; 

"  My  glorious  Lord  appears  in  view, 
"  That  Jesus  whom  ye  lately  slew." 

5  With  such  a  friend  and  witness  near, 
No  form  of  death  could  make  him  fear ; 
Calm,  amidst  sl^ow'rs  of  stones,  he  kneels, 
And  only  for  his  murd'rers  feels. 

6  May  we,  by  faith,  perceive  thee  thus, 
Dear  Saviour,  ever  near  to  us  ! 

This  sight  our  peace  through  life  shall  keep. 
And  death  be  fear'd  no  more  than  sleep. 


440  Act  St  Book  I. 


CXXI.      The   ReheVs   Surrender   to    Grace.     Lordy 
What  ivilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?  Chap.  ix.  6. 

1  Lord,  thou  hast  won,  at  length  I  yield  ; 
My  heart,  my  mighty  grace  compell'd, 

Surrenders  all  to  thee  ; 
Against  thy  terrors  long  I  strove, 
But  who  can  stand  against  thy  love  ? 

Love  conquers  even  me. 

2  All  that  a  wretch  could  do,  I  trj-'d, 
Thy  patience  scorn'd,  thy  pow'rdefy'd, 

And  trampled  on  thy  laws  ; 
Scarcely  thy  maityrs  at  the  stake. 
Could  stand  more  steadfast  for  th}'  sake, 

Than  I  in  Satan's  cause. 

3  But  since  thou  hast  thy  love  reveal'd. 
And  shown  my  soul  a  pardon  seal'd, 

I  can  resist  no  more  : 
Couldst  thou  for  such  a  sinner  bleed  ? 
Canst  thou  for  such  a  rebel  plead  ? 

I  wonder  and  adore  ! 


K 


4  If  thou  hadst  bid  thy  thunders  roll, 
And  lightnings  flash,  to  blast  my  soul, 

I  still  had  stubborn  been  : 
But  mercy  has  my  heart  subdu'd, 
A  bleeding  Saviour  I  have  view'd, 

And  now  I  hate  my  sin. 

5  Now,  Lord,  I  would  be  tliine  alone, 
Come,  take  possession  of  thine  own. 

For  thou  hast  set  me  free ; 
Releas'd  from  Satan's  hard  command. 
See  all  my  powers  waiting  stand. 

To  be  employ 'd  by  thee. 


Hymn  122.  Acts.  441 

6  My  will  conform 'd  to  thine  would  move ; 
On  thee  my  hope,  desire,  and  love, 

In  fix'd  attention  join  ; 
My  hands,  my  eyes,  my  ears,  my  tongue, 
Have  Satan's  servants  been  too  long, 

But  now  they  shall  be  thine. 

7  And  can  I  be  the  very  same 

Who  lately  durst  blaspheme  thy  name. 

And  on  thy  Gospel  tread  ? 
Surely  each  one  who  hears  my  case, 
Will  praise  thee,  and  confess  thy  grace 

Invincible  indeed ! 

CXXII.  Peter  released  from  Prison.  Chsi'pxu.  5—8. 

1  Fervent,  persevering  pray 'rs 

Are  faith's  assur'd  resource  ; 
Brazen  gates  and  iron  bars 

In  vain  withstand  their  force : 
Peter,  when  in  prison  cast, 

Though  by  soldiers  kept  with  care. 
Though  the  doors  were  bolted  fast, 

Was  soon  releas*d  b}'  pray'/. 

2  While  he  slept,  an  angel  came. 

And  spread  a  light  aroiuK', 
Touch'd,  and  call'd  him  by  his  name, 

And  rais'd  him  from  the  ground  ; 
All  his  chains  and  fetters  burst, 

Ev'ry  door  wide  open  flew ; 
Peter  thought  he  dream'd  at  first, 

But  found  the  vision  true. 

3  Thus  the  Lord  can  make  a  way 

To  bring  his  saints  relief ; 
'Tis  their  part  to  wait  and  pray. 
In  spite  of  unbelief : 
Vol.  III.  ^  I. 


442  Acts.  Book  I. 

He  can  break  through  walls  of  stone, 

Sink  the  mountain  to  a  plain ; 
They  to  whom  his  name  is  known  •• 

Can  never  pray  in  vain. 

4  Thus,  in  chains  of  guilt  and  sin, 

Poor  sinners  sleeping  lie ; 
No  alarm  is  felt  within, 

Although  condemn'd  to  die ;  , 

Till  descending  from  above, 

(Mercy  smiling  in  his  eyes,)  4 

Jesus,  with  a  voice  of  love,  ^. 

Awakes,  and  bids  them  rise.  *k    •     * 

>S  Glad  the  summons  they  obc}-,  ^  ^0Si 

And  liberty  desire ;  ^  ?  ^  a 

Straight  their  fetters  melt  away, 

Like  wax  before  the  fire  :  *^*Wa, 

By  the  word  of  him  who  dy'd, 

Guilty  pris'ners  to  release, 
Ev'ry  door  flies  open  wide,  ^ 

ii4        And  they  depart  in  peace. 
/^ 

CXXIII.   TAe  trembling  Gaoler.  Chap.  xvi.  29 — 31. 

1  A  BELIEVER,  free  from  care, 

May  in  chains  or  dungeons  sing, 

If  the  Lord  be  with  him  there,  -^-^ 

And  be  happier  than  a  king  :  "^BGft^" 

Paul  and  Silas,  thus  confined,  ^^^^  ^ 

Though  their  backs  were  torn  by  whips. ^||b|i 

Yet  possessing  peace  of  mind,  •5* 

Sung  his  praise  with  joyful  lips.  '^^t 

2  Suddenly  the  prison  shook,  ,    ^ 

Open  flew  the  iron  doors  ; 
And  the  gaoler,  terror-struck, 
Now  his  captives*  help  implores  : 


Hymn  124.  AcH.  ^^% 

Trembling  at  their  feet  he  fell, 

"  Tell  me  sirs,  what  must  I  do 
*'  To  be  sav'd  from  guilt  and  hell  ? 

"  None  can  tell  me  this  but  you. ' 

3  "  Look  to  Jesus,"  they  reply'd, 

"  If  in  him  thou  canst  believe, 
"  By  the  death  which  he  has  dy'd, 

"  Thou  salvation  shalt  receive. "^ 
While  the  living  word  he  heard, 

Faith  sprung  up  within  his  heart, 
And,  releas'd  from  all  he  fear'd, 

In  their  joy  his  soul  had  part. 

4  Sinners,  Christ  is  still  the  same  ; 

O  that  you  could  likewise  fear ! 
Then  the  mention  of  his  name 

Would  be  music  to  your  ear : 
Jesus  rescues  Satan's  slaves, 

His  dear  wounds  still  plead,  "  Forgive !'' 
Jesus  to  the  utmost  saves  ; 

Simiers,  look  to  him  and  live. 


CXXIV.     The  ExorcisU.     Chap.  xix.  18— U. 

1  Wh  e  n  the  apostle  wonders  wrought. 

And  heal'd  the  sick  in  Jesu's  name, 
The  sons  of  Sceva  vainly  thought 
That  they  had  pow'r  to  do  the  same. 

2  On  one  possess'd  they  trj^'d  their  art, 

And,  naming  Jesus  preach'd  by  Paul, 
They  charg'd  the  spirit  to  depart. 
Expecting  he'd  obey  their  call. 


444  Acts.  Book  T. 

3  The  spirit  answered,  with  a  mock, 

"  Jesus  I  know,  and  Paul  I  know  ; 

"  I  must  have  gone  if  Paul  had  spoke  ; 

•"  But  who  lue  ye  that  bid  me  go  ?'* 

4  With  iwry  then  the  man  he  fill'd, 

Who  on  the  poor  pretenders  flew ; 
Naked  and  wounded,  almost  kill'd, 
They  fled  in  all  the  people's  view. 

5  Jesus  !  that  name,  pronounc'd  by  faith, 

Is  full  of  wonder-working  pow'r  ; 
It  conquers  Satan,  sin,  and  death. 
And  cheers  in  trouble's  darkest  hour. 

6  But  they  who  are  not  born  again. 

Know  nothing  of  it  but  the  sound  ; 
They  do  but  take  his  name  in  vain. 

When  most  their  zeal  and  pains  aboiuid. 

7  Satan  their  vain  attempts  derides. 

Whether  they  talk,  or  pray,  or  preach  ; 
Long  as  the  love  of  sin  abides, 

His  pow'r  is  safe  beyond  their  reach. 

8  But  you,  believers,  may  rejoice, 

Satan  well  knows  your  mighty  Friend ; 
He  trembles  at  your  Saviour's  voice, 
And  owns  he  cannot  gain  his  end. 


CXXV.     PauVs   Voyage.     Chap,  xxvii. 

1  If  Paul  in  Caesar's  court  must  stand, 
He  need  not  fear  the  sea  ; 
Secur'd  from  harm  on  ev'ry  hand 
By  the  divine  decree. 


Hymn   125.  Acts.  445 

2  Although  the  ship,  in  which  he  sail'd, 

By  dreadlul  storms  was  toss'd ; 
The  promise  o^'er  all  prevuii'd, 
And  not  a  life  was  lost. 

3  Jesus !  the  God  whom  Paul  ador'd, 

Who  skves  in  time  of  need ; 
Was  then  confess 'd,  by  all  on  board, 
A  present  help  indeed  ! 

4  Though  neither  sun  nor  stars  were  seen, 

Paul  knew  the  Lord  was  near  ; 
And  faith  preserv'd  his  soul  serene, 
When  others  shook  for  fear. 

5  Believers  thus  are  toss'd  about, 

On  life's  tempestuous  main  ; 
But  grace  assures,  beyond  a  doubt, 
They  shall  their  port  attain. 

6  They  must,  they  shall,  appear  one  day, 

Before  their  Saviour's  throne  ; 
The  storms  they  meet  with  by  the  way. 
But  make  his  power  known. 

7  Their  passage  lies  across  the  brink 

Of  many  a  threat'ning  wave  ; 
The  world  expects  to  see  them  sink, 
But  Jesus  lives  to  save. 

8  Lord,  though  we  are  but  feeble  worms. 

Yet  since  thy  word  is  past, 
We'll  venture  through  a  thousand  storms 
To  see  thy  face  at  last. 


440  Homans.  IJook  I. 

ROMANS. 

CXXVI.     The  good  that    I  wouldy  I  do  not. 
Ch.  vii.  19. 

t*       lIwouLD,  but  cannot  sing, 
^  Guilt  has  untun'd  my  voice ; 

The  serpent  sin's  envenom 'd  sting 
Has  poison 'd  all  my  joys. 

2  I  know  the  Lord  is  nigh, 

And  would,  but  cannot  pray ; 
For  Satan  meets  me  when  I  try, 
And  frights  my  soul  away. 

3  I  would,  but  can't  repent. 

Though  I  endeavour  oft ; 
This  stony  heart  can  ne'er  relent 
Till  Jesus  make  it  soft. 

4  I  would,  but  cannot  love. 

Though  woo'd  by  love  divine  ; 
No  arguments  have  pow'r  to  move-  ^ 

A  soul  so  base  as  mine. 

B  I  would,  but  cannot  rest 
In  God's  most  holy  will ; 
I  know  what  he  appoints  is  best, 
Yet  murmur  at  it  still. 

6  Oh  could  I  but  believe ! 

Then  all  would  eas)^  be  ; 
I  would,  but  cannot — ^Lord,  relieve ; 
My  help  must  come  from  thee ! 

7  But  if  indeed  I  would, 

Though  I  can  nothing  do ; 
Yet  the  desire  is  something  good, 
For  which  my  praise  is  due. 


Hymn  127.  Romans.  447 

8  By  nature  prone  to  ill, 

Till  tliine  appointed  hour, 
I  was  as  destitute  of  will, 
As  now  I  am  of  pow'r. 

9  Wilt  thou  not  crown  at  length 

The  work  thou  hast  begun  ? 
And  with  a  will,  afford  me  strength 
In  all  thy  ways  to  run. 


CXXVII.      Salvation  drawing'  nearer.    Chap, 
xiii.  11,  12. 

1  Darkness  overspreads  us  here, 

But  the  night  wears  fast  away  ; 
Jacob*s  Star  will  soon  appear, 

Leading  on  eternal  day  ! 
Now  'tis  time  to  rouse  from  sleep, 

Trim  our  lamps,  and  stand  prepar'd  i 
For  our  Lord  strict  watch  to  keep. 

Lest  he  finds  us  off  our  guard. 

2  Let  his  people  courage  take, 

Bear  with  a  submissive  mind 
All  they  suffer  for  his  sake, 

Rich  amends  they  soon  will  find : 
He  will  wipe  away  their  tears, 

Near  himself  appoint  their  lot ; 
All  their  sorrows,  pains,  and  fears, 

Quickly  then  will  be  forgot. 

3  Though  already  sav'd  by  grace. 

From  the  hour  we  first  believ'd ; 
Yet,  while  sin  and  war  have  place, 
We  have  but  a  part  receiv'd  ; 


448  I  CuruUldans.  liooiv  I. 

Still  WQ  for  Scilvation  wait, 

Ev'ry  hour  it  nearer  comes  ! 
Death  will  break  the  prison  gate, 

And  admit  us  to  our  homes. 

4  Sinners,  what  can  you  expect, 

You  who  now  the  Saviour  dare, 
Break  his  laws,  his  grace  reject. 

You  must  stand  before  his  bar  ! 
Tremble,  lest  he  say,  Depart ! 

Oh  the  horrors  of  that  sound  ! 
Lord,  make  ev'ry  cai'eless  heart 

Seek  thee  while  thou  mayst  be  found. 


I.  CORINTHIANS. 

CXXVIII.      That  Rock  ivas   Christ.     Chap.  x.  4. 

1  When  Israel 's  tribes  were  parch'd  with  thirst, 
Forih  from  the  rock  the  waters  burst ; 
And  all  their  future  journey  through 
Yielded  them  drink,  and  Gospel  too  ! 

2  In  Moses'  rod  a  type  they  saw 
Of  his  severe  and  fiery  law  ; 
The  smitten  rock  prefigur'd  him 

From  whose  pierc'dsideall  blessings  stream. 

3  But,  ah  !  the  types  were  all  too  faint, 
His  sorrows  or  his  worth  to  paint ; 
Slight  was  the  stroke  of  Moses'  rod, 
But  he  endur'd  the  wrath  of  God. 

4  Their  outward  rock  could  feel  no  pain^ 
But  ours  was  wounded,  torn,  and  slain ; 
The  rock  gave  but  a  \vat'ry  flood. 

But  Jesus  pour'd  forth  streams  of  blood. 


Hymn  129.  2  Coritithians.  449 

5  The  earth  is  like  their  wilderness, 

A  land  of  drought  and  sore  distress  ; 
Without  one  stream,  from  pole  to  pole, 
To  satisfy  a  thirsty  soul. 

6  But  let  the  Saviour's  praise  resound ; 
In  him  refreshing  streams  are  found, 
Which  pardon,  strength,  and  comfort  give ; 
And  thirsty  sinners  drink  and  live. 

II.  CORINTHIANS. 

CXXIX.     My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee.     Chap.  • 
xii.  9. 

1  Oppress'd  with  unbelief  and  sin. 
Fightings  without,  and  fears  within  ; 
While  earth  and  hell,  with  force  combin'd, 
Assault  and  terrify  my  mind. 

±  What  strength  have  I  against  such  foes. 
Such  hosts  and  legions  to  oppose  ? 
Alas  !  I  tremble,  faint,  and  fall ; 
Lord,  save  me,  or  I  give  up  all. 

3  Thus  sorely  prest,  I  sought  the  Lord, 
To  give  me  some  sweet,  cheering  word ; 
Again  I  sought,  and  yet  again  ; 

I  waited  long,  but  not  in  vain. 

4  Oh !  'twas  a  cheering  word  indeed ! 
Exactly  suited  to  my  need  : 

"  Sufficient  for  thee  is  my  grace, 

"  Thy  weakness  my  great  pow*r  displays." 

5  Now  I  despond  and  mourn  no  more, 
I  welcome  all  I  fear'd  before  ; 

Tho'  weak,  I'm  strong ;  tho*  troubl'd,  blest ; 
For  Christ's  own  pow'r  shall  on  me  rest. 
Vol.  in.  3  M 


450  Oalatians.  Book  1. 

6  My  grace  would  soon  exhausted  be, 
But  his  is  boundless  as  the  sea ; 
Then  let  me  boast,  with  holy  Paul, 
That  I  am  nothing,  Christ  is  all. 


GALATIANS. 

CXXX.     The  inward  War/are.     Chap.  v.  IT. 

1  Strange  and  mysterious  is  my  life. 

What  opposites  I  feel  within  ! 
A  stable  peace,  a  constant  strife  ; 
The  rule  of  grace,  the  pow'r  of  sin  : 
Too  often  I  am  captive  led, 
Yet  daily  triumph  in  my  head. 

2  I  prize  the  privilege  of  pray 'r, 

But,  oh  !  what  backwardness  to  pray  ! 
Though  on  the  Lord  I  cast  my  care, 
I  feel  its  burden  ev'ry  day ; 
I  seek  his  will  in  all  I  do, 
Yet  find  my  own  is  working  too. 

3  I  call  the  promises  my  own, 

And  prize  them  more  than  mines  of  gold; 
Yet  though  their  sweetness  I  have  known, 

They  leave  me  unimpress'd  and  cold  : 
One  hour  upon  tlie  truth  I  feed. 
The  next  I  know  not  what  I  read. 

4  I  love  the  holy  day  of  rest. 

When  Jesus  meets  his  gather'd  saints ; 
Sweet  day,  of  all  the  week  the  best ! 

For  its  return  my  spirit  pants : 
Yet  often,  through  my  unbelief. 
It  proves  a  day  of  guilt  and  grie£ 


Hvniu  Idl.  Fhilippians.  451 

5  While  on  my  Saviour  I  rely, 

I  know  my  foes  shall  lose  their  aim ; 
And  therefore  dare  their  pow'r  defy, 

Assur'd  of  conquest  through  his  name : 
But  soon  my  confidence  is  slain, 
And  all  my  fears  return  again. 

6  Thus  difF'rent  pow'rs  within  me  strive, 

And  grace  and  sin  by  turns  prevail ; 
I  g;rieve,  rejoice,  decline,  revive. 

And  vict'ry  hangs  in  doubtful  scale : 
But  Jesus  has  his  promise  past. 
That  grace  shall  overcome  at  last. 

PHILIPPIANS. 

CXXXI.      C.     Contentment*.     Chap,  iv.  U. 

1  Fierce  passions  discompose  the  mind. 

As  tempests  vex  the  sea ; 
But  calm  content  and  peace  we  find, 
When,  Lord,  we  turn  to  thee. 

2  In  vain,  by  reason  and  by  rule, 

We  try  to  bend  the  will  j 
For  none  but  in  the  Saviour's  school 
Can  learn  the  heavenly  skill. 

;3  Since  at  his  feet  my  soul  has  sat, 
His  gracious  words  to  hear ; 
Contented  with  my  present  state, 
I  cast  on  him  my  care. 

4  "  Art  thou  a  sinner,  soul  ?"  he  said, 
"  Then  how  canst  thou  complain? 
**  How  light  thy  troubles  here,  if  weigh'd, 
**  With  everlasting  pain ! 

*  Book  iii.  Hyijm  5«. 


453  Hcbrexcs.  Book  /. 

5  "  If  thou  of  murmuring  wouldst  be  cur'd, 
"  Compare  thy  griefs  with  mine ; 
"  Think  what  my  love  for  thee  endur'd, 
"  And  thou  wilt  not  repine. 

$  "  'Tis  I  appoint  thy  daily  lot, 
"  And  I  do  all  things  well ; 
"  Thou  soon  shalt  leave  this  wretched  spot, 
"  And  rise  with  mc  to  dwell. 

7  "  In  life  my  grace  shall  strength  supply, 

"  Proportion'd  to  thy  day  ; 
"  At  death  thou  still  shalt  find  me  nigh, 
"  To  wipe  thy  tears  away." 

8  Thus  I,  who  once  my  \\Tetched  days 

In  vain  repinings  spent. 
Taught  in  my  Saviour's  school  of  grace, 
Have  learn'd  to  be  content. 

HEBREWS. 

CXXXII.     C.     Old  Testament  Gotficl.     Ch.  iv.  2 

1  Israel,  in  ancient  days, 

Not  only  had  a  view 
Of  Sinai  in  a  blaze, 

But  learn'd  the  Gospel  too  : 
The  types  and  figures  were  a  glass, 
In  which  they  saw  the  Saviour's  face. 

2  The  paschal  sacrifice, 

And  blood-besprinkled  door*^ 
Seen  with  enlighten'd  eyes, 

And  once  apply 'd  with  pow'r, 
Would  teach  the  need  of  other  blood; 
To  reconcile  an  angry  God. 

•  Exodus  xii.  13. 


Hymn  133.  Htbroiv^.  453 

3  The  lamb,  the  dove,  set  forth 

His  perfect  innocence*, 
Whose  blood  of  matchless  worth, 

Should  be  the  soul's  defence  ; 
For  he  who  can  for  sin  atone, 
Must  have  no  failings  of  his  own. 

4  The  scape- goat  on  his  headf 

The  people's  trespass  bore  ; 
And,  to  the  desert  led. 

Was  to  be  seen  no  more : 
In  him  our  Surety  seem'd  to  say, 
"  Behold,  I  bear  your  sins  away.'' 

5  Dipt  in  his  fellow's  blood. 

The  living  bird  went  freej  ; 
The  type,  well  understood, 

Express'd  the  sinner's  plea ; 
Described  a  guilty  soul  enlarg'd, 
And  by  a  Saviour's  death  discharg'd. 

6  Jesus,  I  love  to  trace 

Throughout  the  sacred  page. 
The  footsteps  of  thy  grace, 
The  same  in  ev'ry  age  ! 

0  grant  that  I  may  faithful  be 

To  clearer  light,  vouchsafd  to  me ! 

CXXXIII.     The    Word  quick  andfioiuerful. 
Chap.  ir.   12,   13. 

1  The  word  of  Christ,  our  Lord, 

With  whom  we  have  to  do, 
Is  sharper  than  a  two-edg'd  sword, 
To  pierce  the  sinner  through ! 

*  Lev.  xU.  6.     t  Lev,  xvi.  21.    X  Lev.  xiv.  51-5S. 


454)  Mebrei^is,  Book  1. 

2  Swift  as  the  lightning's  blaze, 

When  awful  thunders  roll, 
It  fills  the  conscience  with  amaze, 
And  penetrates  the  soul. 

3  No  heart  can  be  conceal 'd 

From  his  all-piercing  eyes ; 
Each  thought  and  purpose  stands  reveal'dt, 
Naked,  without  disguise. 

4  He  sees  his  people's  fears. 

He  notes  their  mournful  cry ; 
He  counts  their  sighs  and  falling  tears, 
And  helps  them  from  on  high. 

5  Though  feeble  is  their  good, 

It  has  its  kind  regard  ; 
Yea,  all  they  would  do,  if  they  could, 
Shall  find  a  sure  reward*. 

6  He  sees  the  wicked  too, 

And  will  repay  them  soon, 
For  all  the  evil  deeds  they  do. 
And  all  they  would  have  donef. 

7  Since  all  our  secret  ways 

Are  mark'd  and  known  by  thee. 
Afford  us,  Lord,  thy  light  of  grace^ 
That  we  ourselves  may  see. 

CXXXIV.     Looking  unto  Jeaua.     Chap.  xii.  2. 

1  By  various  maxims,  forms,  and  rules, 
That  pass  for  wisdom  in  the  schools, 
I  strove  my  passion  to  restrain ; 
But  all  my  efforts  prov'd  in  vain. 

*  I  Kings  viii.  18.  t  Matth.  v.  29. 


Hymn  IS*.  Hebrews.  43S 

2  But  since  the  Saviour  I  have  known, 
My  rules  are  all  reduced  to  one, 

To  keep  my  Lord,  by  faith,  in  view ; 
This  strength  supplies,  and  motives  too. 

3  I  see  him  lead  a  suflf'ring  life, 
Patient  amidst  reproach  and  strife ; 
And  from  his  pattern  courage  take 
To  bear,  and  suffer,  for  his  sake. 

4  Upon  the  cross  I  see  him  bleed. 
And  by  the  sight  from  guilt  am  freed ; 
This  sight  destroys  the  life  of  sin, 
And  quickens  heav'nly  life  within. 

5  To  look  to  Jesus  as  he  rose. 
Confirms  my  faith,  disarms  my  foes ; 
Satan  I  shame  and  overcome. 

By  pointing  to  my  Saviour's  tomb. 

6  Exalted  on  his  glorious  throne, 

I  see  him  make  my  cause  his  own ; 
Then  all  my  anxious  cares  subside, 
For  Jesus  lives  and  will  provide. 

7  I  see  him  look  with  pity  down. 

And  hold  in  view  the  conqu'ror's  crown ; 
If  press'd  with  griefs  and  cares  before, 
My  soul  revives,  nor  asks  for  more. 

8  By  faith  I  see  the  hour  at  hand, 
When  in  his  presence  I  shall  stand ; 
Then  it  will  be  my  endless  bliss, 
To  see  him  where,  and  as  he  is. 


466  Hebrews.  JBook  I. 


CXXXV.     Love  Tokens.     Chap.  xii.  5—11. 

1  Afflictions  do  not  come  alone, 
A  \  oice  attends  the  rod  ; 
By  both  he  to  his  saints  is  known, 
A  Father  and  a  God ! 

3  "  Let  not  my  children  slight  the  stroke 
"  I  for  chastisement  send  ; 
**  Nor  faint  beneath  my  kind  rebuke, 
"  For  still  I  am  then-  Friend. 

3  "  The  wicked  I  perhaps  may  leave 

*'  A  while  and  not  reprove ; 
"  But  all  the  children  I  receive 
*'  I  scourge,  because  I  love. 

4  "  If,  therefore,  you  were  left  without 

"  This  needful  discipline, 
'*  You  might  with  cause  admit  a  doubt 
"  If  you,  indeed,  were  mine. 

5  "  Shall  earthly  parents  then  expect 

"  Their  children  to  submit  ? 
"  And  will  not  you,  when  I  correct, 
"  Be  humbled  at  my  feet  ? 

6  "  To  please  themselves  they  oft  chastise, 

"  And  put  their  sons  to  pain ; 

*'  But  you  are  precious  in  my  eyes, 

*'  And  shall  not  smart  in  vain. 

7  "  I  see  your  hearts  at  present  fiU'd 

"  With  grief  and  deep  distress  ; 
"  But  soon  these  bitter  seeds  shall  yield 
•'  The  fruits  of  righteousness." 


Hymn  136. 


jRevelation. 


4$T 


S  Break  through  the  clouds,  dear  Lord,  and  slune ! 

Let  us  perceive  thee  nigh  ! 
^  And  to  each  mourning  child  of  thine 

These  gracious  words  apply. 


REVELATION. 

CXXXVI.      Efihems.      Chap.  ii.  1—7. 

1  Thus  saith  the  Lord  to  Ephesus, 
And  thus  he  speaks  to  some  of  us : 

Amidst  my  churches,  lo !  I  stand, 
"  And  hold  the  pastors  in  my  hand. 

2  "  Thy  works  to  me  are  fully  known, 
Thy  patience,  and  thy  toil  I  own ; 
Thy  views  of  Gospel-truth  are  clear, 

"  Nor  canst  thou  other  doctrine  bear. 

"  Yet  I  must  blame,  while  I  approve ; 
"  Where  is  thy  first,  thy  fervent  love  ? 
"  Dost  thou  forget  my  love  to  thee, 
*'  That  thine  is  grown  so  faint  to  me  ? 


4 


,<l 


Recall  to  mind  the  happy  days 
' '  When  thou  wast  fill'd  with  j  oy  and  praise; 
"  Repent,  thy  former  works  renew, 
"  Then  I'll  restore  thy  comforts  too. 

5  "  Return  at  once,  when  I  reprove, 
"  Lest  I  thy  candlestick  remove ; 

"  And  thou,  too  late,  thy  loss  lament, 
"  I  warn  before  I  strike — Repent."" 

6  Hearken  to  what  the  Spirit  saith. 
To  him  that  overcomes  by  faith, 
"  The  fruit  of  life's  unfading  tree, 
"  In  Paradise  his  food  shall  be," 

Vol.  III.  .S  N 


%''^ 


iP.^:.^ 


458 


Revelation. 


Book  I. 


CXXXVII.     Smyrna.     Chap.  ii.  8— II. 

i  The  message  first  to  Smyrna  sent, 
A  message  full  of  grace, 
To  all  the  Savioui's  flock  is  meant, 
In  e^'cry  age  and  place. 

2  Thus  to  his  church,  his  chosen  bride, 

Saith  die  great  First  and  Last, 
Who  ever  lives,  though  once  he  died, 
"  Hold  thy  profession  fast. 

3  "  Thy  -works  and  sorrow  well  I  know, 

"  Performed  and  borne  for  me  ; 
"  Poor  though  thou  art,  despis'd  and  low, 
*'  Yet  who  is  rich  like  thee  ?  \^ 


"  I  know  thy  foes,  and  what  they  say, 
"  How  long  they  have  blasphem'd ; 

"  The  synagogue  of  Satan  they, 

**  Tnough  they  would  Jews  be  deem'd. 


1 


'*  Though  Satan  for  a  season  rage, 

* '  And  prisons  be  your  lot, 
*'  I  am  your  Friend,  and  I  engage 

"  You  shall  not  be  forgot. 

"  Be  faithful  unto  death,  nor  fear 
'•  A  few  short  days  of  strife ; 

''  Behold  !  the  prize  you  soon  shall  wear 
'*  A  crown  of  endless  life!" 

Hear  what  the  Holy  Spirit  saith 

Of  all  who  overcome  ; 
**  T    y  shall  escape  the  second  death, 

"  Tne  sinner's  awiul  doom ! " 


rear,  ^^ 


Hymn  139.  Revelation.  459  a||  ^| 


CXXXVIII.  C.  Sardis.     Chap.  iii.  1—6. 

1  "  Write  to  Sardis,"  saith  the  Lord, 

"  And  write  what  he  declares, 
"'  He  whose  Spirit,  and  whose  word, 

"  Upholds  the  seven  stars : 
"  All  thy  works  and  ways  I  search, 

"  Find  thy  zeal  and  love  decay'd; 
"  Thou  art  call'd  a  living  church, 

*'  But  thou  art  cold  and  dead. 

2  "  Watch,  remember,  seek,  and  strive, 

"  Exert  thy  former  pains  : 
"  Let  thy  timely  care  revive, 

"  And  strengthen  what  remains  : 
"  Cleanse  thine  heart,  thy  works  amend, 

"  Former  times  to  mind  recall, 
"  Lest  my  sudden  stroke  descend, 

"  And  smite  thee  once  for  all. 

3  "  Yet  I  number  now  in  thee 

"  A  few  that  are  upright ; 
"  These  my  Father's  face  shall  see, 

"  And  walk  with  me  in  white  : 
"  When  in  judgment  I  appear, 

*'  They  for  mine  shall  be  confest ; 
"  Let  my  faithful  servants  hear, 

"  And  wo  be  to  the  rest." 

CXXXIX.     Philadelfihia.  Chap.  iii.  7— .1.0. 

1  Thus  saith  the  holy  One  and  true. 
To  his  beloved,  faithful  few, 
"  Of  heav'n  and  hell  I  hold  the  keys,  qf 

"  To  shut,  or  open,  as  I  please. 


Revelation.  Book  I. 

2  "  I  know  thy  works,  and  I  approve, 

"  The'  small  thy  strength,  sincere  thy  love ; 
"  Go  on,  my  word  and  name  to  own, 
"  For  none  shall  rob  thee  of  thy  crown. 

5  ^*  Before  tliee  see  my  mercy's  door 
"  Stands  open  wide  to  shut  no  more  ; 
"  Fear  not  temptation's  fiery  day, 
"  For  I  will  be  thy  strength  and  stay. 

4  "  Thou  hast  my  promise,  hold  it  fast, 
"  The  trying  hour  will  soon  be  past : 
**  Rejoice,  for,  lo !  I  quickly  come, 

"  To  take  thee  to  my  heav'nly  home. 

5  *'  A  pillar  there  no  more  to  move, 

"  Inscrib'd  with  all  my  names  of  love  ; 
*'  A  monument  of  mighty *grace, 
"  Thou  shalt  for  ever  have  a  place." 

6  Such  is  the  conqueror's  reward, 
Prepar'd  and  promised  by  the  Lord  ! 
Let  him  that  hath  the  ear  of  faith 
Attend  to  what  the  Spirit  saith. 


CXL.     Laodicea.     Chap.  iii.   14 — 2©. 

1  Hear  what  the  Lord,  the  great  AmcM, 

The  true  and  faitiiful  witness  says ! 
He  form'd  the  vast  creation's  plan, 

And  searches  all  our  hearts  and  ways.  "  ^ 

2  To  some  he  speaks  as  once  of  old, 

"  I  know  thee,  thy  profession's  vain  ; 
"  Since  thou  art  neither  hot  nor  cold, 
''  ril  spit  thee  from  me  with  disdain. 


■?. 


'f^ 


Hymn  141.  Revelation.  461 

3  "  Thou  boastest '  I  am  wise  and  rich, 

"  Increas'd  in  goods,  and  nothing  need;' 
"  And  dost  not  know  thou  art  a  wretch, 
"  Naked,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  dead. 

4  "  Yet  while  I  thus  rebuke,  I  love, 

"  My  message  is  in  mercy  sent ; 
"  That  thou  mayst  my  compassion  provc^ 
"  I  can  forgive,  if  thou  repent. 

5  "  Would'st  thou  be  truly  rich  and  wise  ? 

"  Come,  buy  my  gold  in  fire  well  try'd, 
"  My  ointment  to  anoint  thine  eyes, 
"  My  robe  thy  nakedness  to  hide. 

6  "  See  at  thy  door  I  stand  and  knock  ! 

"  Poor  sinner,  shall  I  wait  in  vain  ? 
"  Quickly  thy  stubborn  heart  unlock, 
"  That  I  may  enter  with  my  train. 

7  "  Thou  canst  not  entertain  a  king, 

"  Unworthy  thou  of  such  a  guest ! 
"  But  I  my  own  provisions  bring, 
"  To  make  thy  soul  a  heav'nly  feast." 

CXLI.      The  Little  Bqok*.     Chap.  x. 

1  When  the  belov'd  disciple  took 
The  angel's  little,  open  book. 
Which  by  tlie  Lord's  command  he  eat, 
It  tasted  bitter  after  sweet. 

2  Thus  when  the  Gospel  is  embrac'd, 
At  first  'tis  sweeter  to  the  taste 
Than  honey  or  the  honey-comb, 
But  there's  a  bitterness  to  come. 

*  Book  ill.  Hymn  27. 


462  ItcvelatioH.  Book  I. 

3  What  sweetness  does  the  promise  yield, 
When  by  the  Spirit's  power  seal'd "? 
The  longing  soul  is  fill'd  with  good, 
Nor  feels  a  wish  for  other  food. 

4  By  these  inviting  tastes  allur'd, 
We  pass  to  what  must  be  endur'd ; 
For  soon  we  find  it  is  decreed, 
That  bitter  must  to  sweet  succeed. 

5  When  sin  revives  and  shows  its  pow'r, 
When  Satan  threatens  to  devour, 
When  God  afflicts,  and  men  revile, 
We  draw  our  steps  with  pain  and  toil. 

6  When  thus  deserted,  tempest-tost, 
The  sense  of  former  sweetness  lost. 
We  tremble  lest  we  were  deceiv'd 
In  thinking  that  we  once  belie v'd. 

7  The  Lord  first  makes  the  sweetness  known, 
To  win  and  fix  us  for  his  own ; 
And  though  we  now  some  bitter  meet, 
We  hope  for  everlasting  sweet. 


OLNEY  HYMNS5 

BOOK  11. 

ON  OCCASIONAL  SUBJECTS. 


jM^ 


I    SEASONS. 
n.    ORDINANCES. 


in.    PROVIDENCES/ 
IV.    CREATION. 


I.  SEASONS. 
NEW-YEAR'S  HYMNS. 

I.    Time  hoio  stvift, 

1.  While  with  ceaseless  course  the  s„„ 

Hasted  through  the  former  year, 
Many  souls  their  race  have  run, 

Never  more  to  meet  us  here ; 
Fix'd  in  an  eternal  state, 

They  have  done  with  all  below; 
We  a  little  longer  wait, 

But  how  little — none  can  know. 


^ 


X 


2  As  the  winged  arrow  flies, 
Speedily  the  mark  to  find ; 
As  the  lightning  from  the  skies 
Darts,  and  leaves  no  trace  behind; 
;     Swiftly  thus  our  fleeting  days  ^ 

Bear  us  down  life's  rapid  stream ; 
Upwards,  Lord,  our  spirits  raise, 
All  below  is  but  a  dream. 


Book  n. 


^ 


Ml 


2  Thanks  for  mercies  past  receive, 
'±       Pardon  of  our  sins  renew ; 
Teach  us,  henceforth,  how  to  live 

With  eternity  in  view : 
Bless  thy  word  to  young  and  old. 

Fill  us  with  a  Saviour's  love ; 
And  when  life's  short  tale  is  told. 
May  we  dwell  with  thee  above. 


II.   Time  hovt  short. 


Time,  with  an  unwearied  hand, 

Pushes  round  the  seasons  past ; 
And  in  life's  frail  glass  the  sand 

Sinks  apace,  not  long  to  last : 
Many,  who,  as  you  and  I, 

The  last  year  assembled  thus, 
In  their  silent  graves  now  lie ; 

Graves  will  open  soon  for  us ! 

2  Daily  sin,  and  care,  and  strife. 

While  the  Lord  prolongs  our  breatli, 
Make  it  but  a  dying  life,  s 

^  ;j»^'  -  Or  a  kind  of  living  death  : 

,    /W^   "M^  Wretched  they  and  most  forlorn. 
Who  no  better  portion  know ; 
Better  ne'er  to  have  been  bom. 
Than  to  have  our  all  below. 


f^ 


« 


3  When  constrain'd  to  go  alone. 
Leaving  all  you  love  behind, 
LEnt'ring  on  a  world  unknown, 

What  will  then  support  your  mind  ? 


Hymn  S.  Seasons.  40ry. 

When  the  Lord  his  summons  sends*, 
Earthly  comforts  lose  their  pow'r ; 

Honour,  riches,  kindred,  friends, 
Cannot  cheer  a  dying  hour. 

4  Happy  souls  who  fear  the  Lord  ; 

Time  is  not  too  swift  for  you  ; 
When  your  Saviour  gives  the  word, 

Glad  you'll  bid  the  world  adieu  : 
Then  he'll  wipe  away  your  tears, 

Near  himself  appoint  your  place ; 
Swifter  fly,  ye  rolling  years, 

Lord,  we  long  to  see  thy  face. 


III.     Uncertainty  of  Life. 

1  See  !  another  year  Is  gone ! 

Quickly  have  the  seasons  pass'd  I 
This  we  enter  now  upon 

May  to  many  prove  their  last : 
Mercy  hitherto  has  spar'd. 

But  have  mercies  been  improv'd  ? 
Let  us  ask.  Am  I  prepar'd, 

Should  I  be  this  year  remov'd  ? 

2  Some  we  now  no  longer  see, 

Who  their  mortal  race  have  nni, 
Seem'd  as  fair  for  life  as  we, 

When  the  former  year  begun : 
Some,  but  who  God  only  knows, 

Who  are  here  assembled  now, 
Ere  the  present  year  shall  close. 

To  the  stroke  of  death  must  bow, 

*  Isaiah  x.  3. 

Vol.  III.  r5  O 


46<3  SeascM.  Book  II. 

3  Life  a  field  of  battle  is, 

Thousands  fall  within  our  view ; 
And  the  next  death-bolt  that  flies. 

May  be  sent  to  me  or  you  : 
While  we  preach,  and  while  we  hear. 

Help  us,  Lord,  each  one  to  think, 
Vast  eternity  is  near, 

I  am  standing  on  the  brink. 

4  If  from  guilt  and  sin  set  free, 

By  the  knowledge  of  thy  grace, 
Welcome,  then,  the  call  will  be 

To  depart  and  see  thy  face  : 
To  thy  saints,  while  here  below, 

With  new  years  new  mercies  come ; 
But  the  happiest  year  they  know 

Is  their  last,  which  leads  them  home. 

IV.     A  J^eiu-  Yearns  Thought  and  Prayer, 

1  Time,  by  moments,  steals  away, 
First  the  hour  and  then  the  day ; 
Small  the  daily  loss  appears, 
Yet  it  soon  amounts  to  years  : 
Thus  another  year  is  flown, 
Now  it  is  no  more  our  o\vn. 

If  it  brought  or  promis'd  good, 
Than  the  years  before  the  flood, 

2  But,  (may  none  of  us  forget,) 
It  has  left  us  much  in  debt ; 
Favours  from  the  Lord  receiv'd, 
Sins  that  have  his  Spirit  griev'd, 
Mark'd  by  an  unerring  hand, 
In  his  book  recorded  stand ; 
Who  can  tell  the  vast  amount, 
Piufcj'd  to  each  of  our  account  ? 


Hymn  5.  Seaso7ts.  467 

3  Happy  the  believing  soul ! 
Christ  for  you  has  paid  the  whole  ; 
While  you  own  the  debt  is  large, 
You  may  plead  a  full  discharge  : 
But,  poor  careless  sinner,  say, 
What  can  you  to  justice  pay  ? 
Tremble,  lest  when  life  is  past^ 
Into  prison  you  be  cast ! 

4  Will  you  still  increase  the  score  ? 
Still  be  careless  as  before  ? 

Oh !  forbid  it,  gracious  Lord, 
Touch  their  spirits  by  thy  word  I 
Now,  in  mercy,  to  them  show 
What  a  mighty  debt  they  owe  ! 
All  their  unbelief  subdue  ; 
Let  them  find  forgiveness  too. 

5  Spar'd  to  see  another  year, 
Let  thy  blessing  meet  us  here  j 
Come,  thy  dying  work  revive. 
Bid  thy  drooping  garden  thrive  : 
Sun  of  righteousness,  arise  ! 
Warm  our  hearts  and  bless  our  eyes  ; 
Let  our  pray'r  thy  bowels  move, 
Make  this  year  a  time  of  love. 

V.     Death  and  War.      1779. 

1  Hark  !  how  time's  wide-sounding  bell 
Strikes  on  each  attentive  ear ! 
Tolling  loud  the  solemn  knell 

Of  the  late  departed  year : 
Years,  like  mortals,  wear  away, 
Have  their  birth  and  dying  day. 
Youthful  spring,  and  wintr}^  age. 
Then  to  others  quit  the  stage. 


468  Scasotis.  Book  11. 

2  Sad  experience  may  relate 

What  a  year  the  last  lias  been  ! 
Crops  of  sorrow  have  been  great, 
From  the  fruitful  seeds  of  sin : 
Oh !  what  numbers,  gay  and  blithe, 
'       Fell  by  death's  unsparing  scythe  ? 

While  they  thought  the  world  their  own, 
Suddenly  he  mow'd  them  down. 

3  See  how  wai',  with  dreadful  stride, 

Marches  at  the  Lord's  command, 
Spreading  desolation  wide, 

Through  a  once  much-favour'd  land ; 
War,  with  heart  and  arms  of  steel, 
Preys  on  thousands  at  a  meal ; 
Didly^  drinking  human  gore, 
Still  he  thirsts  and  calls  ibr  more. 

i  If  the  God  whom  we  provoke. 

Hither  should  his  way  direct ; 
What  a  sin-avenging  stroke 

May  a  land  like  this  expect ! 
They  ^vho  now  securely  sleep. 
Quickly  then  would  wake  and  weep  ; 
And  too  late  would  leani  to  fear. 
When  they  saw  the  diuiger  neju*. 

5  You  are  safe  who  know  his  love, 

He  will  all  his  truth  perform ; 
To  your  souls  a  refuge  prove 

From  the  rage  of  ev'ry  storm : 
But  we  tremble  lor  the  youth ; 
Teach  them,  Lord,  thy  saving  truth ; 
Join  them  to  ihy  iaithrul  few, 
Be  to  them  a  refuge  too. 


Hymn  C.  Seasons.  l-GO 

VI.     Earthly  Pros/iects  Deceitful. 

1  Oft  in  vain  the  voice  of  trutli 

Solemnly  and  loudly  warns ; 
Thoughdess,  unexperienc'd  youth, 

Though  it  hears,  the  warning  scorns  : 
Youth  in  fancy's  glass  surveys 

Life  prolong'd  to  distant  years, 
While  the  vast  imagin'd  space 

Fill'd  with  sweets  and  joys  appears. 

2  Awful  disappointment  soon 

Overclouds  the  prospect  gay ; 
Some  tlieir  sun  goes  down  at  noon, 

Tom  by  death's  strong  hand  away : 
Where  are  then  their  pleasing  schemes  ? 

Where  the  joys  they  hop'd  to  find  ? 
Gone  for  ever  like  their  di'eams, 

Leaving  not  a  trace  behind. 

3  Others,  who  are  spar'd  a  while, 

Live  to  weep  o'er  fancy's  cheat ; 
Find  distress,  and  pain,  and  toil, 

Bitter  things  instead  of  sweet : 
Sin  has  spread  a  curse  around. 

Poison 'd  all  things  here  below  : 
On  this  base,  polluted  ground 

Peace  and  joy  can  never  grow. 

4  Grace  alone  can  cure  our  ills, 

Sweeten  life  with  all  its  cai^es, 
Regulate  our  stubborn  wills. 

Save  us  from  surrounding  snares  : 
Though  you  oft  have  heard  in ^ain, 

Former  yeai's  in  folly  spent, 
Grace  invites  you  yet  again, 

Once  more  calls  you  to  repent. 


4«70  Seasons.  Book  11. 

5  Call'd  again,  at  length  bevrarc, 

•   Hear  the  Saviour's  voice  and  live ; 
Lest  he  in  his  wrath  should  swear. 

He  no  more  will  warning  give : 
Pray  that  you  may  hear  and  feel, 

Ere  the  day  of  grace  be  past ; 
Lest  your  hearts  grow  hard  as  steel, 

Or  diis  year  should  prove  your  last. 


HYMNS 

BEFORE     ANNUAL     SERMONS    TO     YOUNG 
PEOPLE,    ON    new-years'    EVENINGS. 

VII.     Prayer  for  a  Bleaaing. 

1  Now,  gracious  Lord,  thine  arm  reveal, 

And  make  thy  glory  known  ; 
Now  let  us  .all  thy  presence  feel, 
And  soften  hearts  of  stone  ! 

2  Help  us  to  venture  near  thy  throne,  * 

A  nd  plead  a  Saviour's  name ; 
For  all  that  we  can  call  our  own, 
Ts  vanity  and  shame. 

3  From  all  the  guilt  of  former  sin 

May  mercy  set  us  free  ; 
And  let  the  year  we  now  begin, 
Begin  and  end  with  thee. 

4  Send  down  thy  Spirit  from  above, 

That  saints  may  love  thee  more  ; 
And  sinners  now  may  learn  to  love, 
Who  never  lov'd  before. 


Hyinu  8.  Seasons.  -iZl 

5  And  when  before  thee  wc  appear, 
In  our  eternal  home, 
May  growing  numbers  worship  here, 
And  praise  thee  in  our  room. 


VIII.     C.     Another. 

1  Bestow,  dear  Lord,  upon  our  youth 

The  gift  of  saving  grace  ; 
And  let  the  seed  of  sacred  truth 
Fall  in  a  fruitful  place. 

2  Grace  is  a  plant,  where'er  it  growi% 

Of  pure  and  heav'nly  root ; 
But  fairest  in  the  youngest  showsj 
And  yields  the  sweetest  fruit. 

3  Ye  careless  ones,  O  hear  betimes 

The  voice  of  sov 'reign  love  I 
Your  youth  is  stain'd  with  many  crimci?^ 
But  mercy  reigns  above. 

4  True,  you  are  young,  but  there's  a  stone 

Within  the  youngest  breast, 
Or  half  the  crimes  which  you  have  done, 
Would  rob  you  of  your  rest. 

5  For  you  the  public  pray'r  is  made, 

Oh !  join  the  public  pray'r ! 
For  you  the  secret  tear  is  shed, 
O  shed  yourselves  a  tear ! 

6  We  pray  that  you  may  early  prove 

The  Spitit's  power  to  teach ; 
You  cannot  be  too  young  to  love 
That  Jesus  whom  we  preach. 


472  Seasons.  iiook  H. 


IX.     Another. 

1  Now  may  fervent  pray'r  arise, 
Wing'd  with  faith,  and  pierce  the  skies ; 
Fervent  pray'r  shall  bring  us  down 
Gracious  answers  from  the  throne. 

2  Bless,  O  Lord,  the  op'ning  year, 
To  each  soul  assembled  here ; 
Clothe  thy  word  with  pow*r  divine, 
Make  us  willing  to  be  thine. 

3  Shepherd  of  thy  blood-bought  sheep  ! 
Teach  the  stony  heart  to  weep ; 

Let  the  blind  have  eyes  to  see, 
See  themselves,  and  look  on  thee  ! 

4  Let  the  minds  of  all  our  youth 
Feel  the  force  of  sacred  truth  ; 
While  the  Gospel  call  they  hear, 
May  they  learn  to  love  and  fear. 

5  Show  them  what  their  ways  have  been, 
Show  them  the  desert  of  sin  ; 

Then  thy  dying  love  reveal, 
This  shall  melt  a  heart  of  steel. 

6  Where  thou  hast  thy  work  begun. 
Give  new  strength  the  race  to  run ; 
Scatter  darkness,  doubts,  and  fears, 
Wipe  away  the  mourner's  tears. 

7  Bless  us  all,  both  old  and  young  ; 
Call  forth  praise  from  ev'ry  tongue  ; 
Let  the  whole  ussicmbiy  prove 

All  tiiy  power,  aiid  all  tJiy  love . 


Hymn  10.  Seasons^  473 


V» 


.  tf^r       X.     Casting'  the  Gosfiel  JVet. 


/j^ 


■^ 


1  When  Peter,  through  the  tedious  night* 

Had  often  cast  his  net  in  vain ; 
Soon  as  the  Lord  appear'cl  in  sight, 
He  gladly  let  it  down  again. 

2  Once  more  the  Gospel  net  we  cast, 

Do  thou,  O  Lord,  the  effort  own  ; 
We  learn,  from  disappoinments  past, 
To  rest  our  hope  on  thee  alone. 

3  Upheld  by  tliy  supporting  hand, 

We  enter  on  another  year ; 
And  now  we  meet  at  thy  command, 

To  seek  thy  gracious  presence  here.        m 


'"%' 


9  4  May  this  be  a  much-favour 'd  hour  "ffltj 

To  souls  in  Satan's  bondage  led ; 
^  O  clothe  thy  word  with  sov 'reign  pow'r, 
^/  '7?m|5^    To  break  the  rocks,  and  raise  the  dead ! 


H: 


5  Have  mercy  on  our  num'rous  youth. 
Who,  young  in  years,  are  old  in  sin  j 

And  by  thy  Spirit,  and  thy  truth. 

Show  them  the  state  their  souls  are  in. 

6  Then,  by  a  Saviour*s  dying  love, 

To  ev'ry  wounded  heart  reveal'd. 
Temptations,  fears,  and  guilt  remove, 
And  be  their  Sun,  and  Strength,  and  Shield. 

7  To  mourners  speak  a  cheering  word, 

On  seeking  souls  vouchsafe  to  shine ; 
Let  poor  backsliders  be  restored, 

And  all  thy  saints  in  praises  join.  ^  ^    ^ 


*  Luke  V.  4.  .j^'    ^    AT     A-^T 

Vol.  III.  ^3P^     "  T^  '  A.  ii>** 


4' 


4i74i  Seasons.  Boole  11, 


8  O  heal*  our  pray'r,  and  give  us  hope, 
—^        That  when  thy  voice  shall  call  us  home, 
^  *        Thou  still  wilt  raise  a  people  up. 

To  love  and  praise  thee  in  our  room. 


XI.     C.     Pleading  for  aiid  ivith  Youth. 


4-f ',        ^P^l  Sin  lias  undone  our  wretched  race, 
But  Jesus  has  restor'd 

■A, 

And  brought  the  sinner  face  to  face 
With  his  forgiving  Lord. 


#, 


2  This  ^ve  repeat,  from  year  to  year. 
And  press  upon  our  youth  ; 
Lord,  give  them  an  attentive  ear ; 
Lord,  save  them  by  thy  truth. 

Blessings  upon  the  rising  race  ! 

Make  this  a  happy  liour, 
According  to  thy  richest  grace. 

And  thine  almighty  pow'r. 

We  feel  for  your  unhappy  state, 
(May  you  regai'd  it  too,) 

And  would  a  while  ourselves  forget 
To  pour  out  pray'r  for  you. 

We  see,  tliough  you  perceive  it  not, 
Th'  approachiiip;,  awful  doom  ; 

O  tremble  at  tlie  solemn  thought. 
And  flee  the  wrath  to  come ! 

Dear  Saviour,  let  this  new-born  yeai' 

Spread  an  alarm  abroad, 
And  cry,  in  ev'ry  careless  ear, 


''^tf^uAl" 


"  Prepai-e  to  meet  thv  God  1' 
4         ^ 


*?: 


k 


llymu  13,  Seasons.  475 


XII.     C.     Prayer  for  Children. 

Gracious  Lord,  our  children  see, 
By  thy  mercy  we  are  free  ; 
But  shall  these,  alas  !  remain, 
Subjects  still  of  Satan's  reign : 
Israel's  young  ones,  when  of  old 
Pharaoh  threat'ned  to  withhold*  ; 
Then  thy  messenger  said,  "  No ; 
*'  Let  the  children  also  go." 

When  the  angel  of  the  Lord, 
Drawing  forth  his  dreadful  sword, 
Slew,  with  an  avenging  hand, 
All  the  first-born  of  the  land ; 
Then  thy  people's  doors  he  pass'd, 
Where  the  bloody  sign  Was  plac'df  ; 
Hear  us,  now,  upon  our  knees, 
Plead  the  blood  of  Christ  for  these  ! 

Lord,  we  tremble,  for  we  know  -  #*  f^' 

How  the  fierce,  malicious  foe,  '  ^ 

Wheeling  round  his  watchful  flight, 
Keeps  them  ever  in  his  sight : 
Spread  thy  pinions.  King  of  kings ; 
•  Hide  them  safe  beneath  thy  wings ; 
Lest  the  rav'nous  bird  of  prey 
Stoop,  and  bear  the  brood  away. 

XIII.     The  Shunamite\. 

Th  e  Shunamite,  oppressed  with  grief, 
When  she  had  lost  the  son  she  lov^d, 

Went  to  Elisha  for  relief, 

Nor  vain  her  appUcation  prov*d. 

Exodus  X.  9.  t  Exodus  xii.  13.  \  2  Kings  iy.  51. 


476  ^Seasons.  Book  II. 

2  He  sent  his  servant  on  before, 

To  lay  a  staff  upon  his  head ; 
This  he  could  do,  but  do  no  more  ; 
He  left  him,  as  he  found  him,  dead. 

3  But  when  the  Lord's  almighty  pow'r 

Wrought  with  the  prophet's  pray  V  and 
The  mother  saw  a  joyful  hour,  [faith. 

She  saw  her  child  restor'd  from  death. 

4  Thus,  like  the  weeping  Shunamite, 

For  many  dead  in  sin  we  grieve  ; 
•'  '     Now,  Lord,  display  thine  arm  of  might, 
Cause  them  to  hear  thy  voice  and  live. 

5  Thy  preachers  bear  the  staff  in  vain. 

Though  at  thine  own  command  we  go  ; 
Lord,  we  have  try'd  and  try'd  again. 
We  find  them  dead,  and  leave  them  so. 


^'% 


Come  then  thyself — to  ev'ry  heart 
The  glory  of  thy  name  make  known  ; 

The  means  are  our  appointed  part,  / 

The  pow'r  and  grace  are  thine  alone. 

XIV.     Elijah's  Prayer*. 


1  Does  it  not  grief  and  wonder  move, 

To  think  of  Israel's  shameful  fall  ?     ,  :■ 
Who  needed  miracles  to  prove  ^ 

Whether  the  Lord  was  God,  or  Baal ! 

2  Methinks  I  see  Elijah  stand, 

His  features  glow  with  love  and  zeal ; 
In  faith  and  pray'r  he  lifts  his  hand, 
And  makes  to  Hcav'n  his  great  appeal. 
*   1   Kings  xviii. 


lit 


Hymn  15.  Seasons.       '^^^^BSE         ^'^'^ 

3  "  O  God !  if  I  thy  servant  am, 

"  If  'tis  thy  message  fills  my  heart, 
"  Now  glorify  thy  holy  name, 

"  And  show  this  people  who  thou  art  !" 

4  He  spake,  and,  lo  !  a  sudden  flame 

Consum'd  the  wood,  the  dust,  the  stone; 
The  people  struck,  at  once  proclaim, 
"  The  Lord  is  God,  the  Lord  alone." 

5  Like  him,  we  mourn  an  awful  day. 

When  more  for  Baal  than  God  appear ; 
Like  him,  believers,  let  us  pray, 
And  may  the  God  of  Israel  hear ! 

Lord,  if  thy  servant  speak  thy  truth, 

If  he  indeed  is  sent  by  thee ; 
Confirm  the  word  to  all  our  youth, 

And  let  them  thy  salvation  see. 

7  Now  may  thy  Spirit's  holy  fire 

Pierce  ev'ry  heart  that  hears  thy  word, 
Consume  each  hurtful,  vain  desire, 

Aiid  make  them  know  thou  art  the  Lord.. 


XV.     Preaching  to  the  dry  Bones*. 

\  Preachers  may  from  Ezekiel's  case, 

Draw  hope  in  this  declining  day  : 

A  proof,  like  this,  of  sov'reign  grace 

Should  chase  our  unbelief  away. 

2  When  sent  to  preach  to  mould'ring  bones. 
Who  could  have  tho't  he  would  succeed  ? 
But  w^ell  he  kne\v  the  Lord  from  stones 
Could  raise  up  Abr'ham's  chosen  seed, 

*  Ezek.  xxxvii. 


''•Br  ^^     ^mE^  '^Bf 


478 


Seasons. 


Book, If. 


3  Can  these  be  made  a  num'rous  host. 

And  such  dr}'  bones  new  life  receive  ? 

The  propiiet  answer 'd, "  Lord  thou  know'st 

"  They  shall,  if  thou  commandment  give." 

4  Like  liim  around  I  cast  my  eye, 

And,  oh  !  what  heaps  of  bones  appear ; 
Like  him,  by  Jesus  sent,  I'll  try, 
For  he  can  cause  the  dead  to  hear. 

5  Hear,  ye  dry  bones,  the  Saviour's  word ! 

He,  who  when  dying  gasp'd,  "  Forgive," 
That  gracious  sinner-loving  Lord, 
Says,  "  Look  to  me,  dry  bones,  and  live." 

6  Thou  heav'nly  \\ind  awake  and  blow, 

In  answer  to  the  pray'r  of  faith ; 
Now  thine  almighty  influence  show, 
And  fill  dry  bones  with  living  breath. 

7  O  make  them  hear,  and  feel,  and  shake 

And,  at  thy  call,  obedient  move  ; 
The  bonds  of  death  and  Satan  break, 
And  bone  to  bone  unite  in  love. 


XVI.      The  Rod  of  Moses. 


1  When  Moses  wav'd  his  mystic  rod 

What  wonders  follow'd  v/hile  he  spoke  ! 
Firm  as  a  wall  the  waters  stood  *^, 
Or  gush'd  in  rivers  from  the  rockf. 

2  At  his  command  the  thunders  roU'd,        .  m. 

Lightning  and  hail  his  voice  obey 'd J, 
And  Pharaoh  trembled  to  behold 
His  land  in  desolation  laid. 
*  Exod.  xiv.  21.     t  Num.  xx.  11.     \  Exod.  ix.  23 


"iFi^K 


Hymn  17.       ^^^Jft-^-'^easom 

3  But  what  could  Moses*  rod  have  done, 

Had  he  not  been  divinely  sent  ? 

The  powV  was  from  the  Lord  alone, 

And  Moses  but  the  instrument. 

4  O  Lord,  regard  thy  people's  pray'rs  ! 
•    Assist  a  worm  to  preach  aright  : 
And,  since  thy  Gospel  rod  he  bears, 

Display  thy  wonders  in  our  sight. 


47§ 


5  Proclaim  the  thunders  of  thy  law, 
Like  lightning  let  thine  arrows  fly, 
That  careless  sinners,  struck  with  awe, 
For  refuge  may  to  Jesus  cry. 


6  Make  streams  of  godly  sorrow  flow, 

From  rocky  hearts,  unus'd  to  feel ; 
And  let  the  poor  in  spirit  know 

That  thou  art  near,  their  griefs  to  heal. 

7  But  chiefly,  we  would  now  look  up 

To  ask  a  blessing  for  our  youth, 
The  rising  generations'  hope. 

That  they  may  know  and  love  thy  truth. 

8  Arise,  O  Lord,  afford  a  sign, 
Now  shall  our  pray'rs  success  obtain  ; 

Since  both  the  means  and  pow'r  are  tliine,, 
How  can  the  rod  be  rais'd  in  vain  ? 


XVII.     God  afieaJcmg  from  Mount  Zion. 
•i. 

1  The  God  who  once  to  Israel  spoke 
From  Siiifii^a  tbp,  hi  fire  and  smoke, 
Li  gentler  strains  of  Gospel  grace 
Lwites  us. now  to  seek  his  face. 


480 


*   .■? 


Or 


A** 


?* 


Seaaoiis. 


Book  II. 


2  He  wears  no  terrors  on  his  brow, 
He  speaks,  in  love,  from  Zion  now  ; 
It  is  the  voice  of  Jesus'  blood 
Calling  poor  wand'rers  home  to  God. 

3  The  holy  Moses  quak'd  and  fear'd 
When  Sinai's  thund'ring  law  he  heard ; 
But  reigning  grace,  with  accents  mild. 
Speaks  to  the  sinner  as  a  child. 

^  Hark !  how  from  Calvary  it  sounds, 
From  the  Redeemer's  bleeding  wounds ! 
"  Pardon  and  grace  I  freely  give, 
*^  Poor  sinner,  look  to  me,  and  live." 

5  What  other  arguments  can  move 
The  heart  that  slights  a  Saviour's  love ! 
Yet,  till  almighty  pow'r  constrain, 
This  matchless  love  is  preach'd  in  vain. 

6  O  Saviour,  let  that  pow'r  be  felt. 
And  cause  each  stony  heart  to  melt ! 
Deeply  impress  upon  our  youth 
The  light  and  force  of  Gospel  truth. 

7  With  this  new  year  may  they  begin 
To  live  to  thee,  and  die  to  sin ; 
To  enter  by  the  narrow  way 

'  Which  leads  to  everlasting  day. 

8  How  will  they  else  thy  presence  beat 
When,  as  a  Judge,  thou  shalt  appear  ! 
When  slighted  love  to  wrath  shall  turn. 
And  the  \\  hole  earth  like  Sinai  burn !  v,i 


.i  y^^«i 


t^ 


«:' 


'* 


•  f  ■■» 


-f" 


hi 


XVIII.  ^  Prayer /or  Power  on  the  Means  of  Grace. 

1  O  THOU,  at  whose  almighty  word 

\*  ^.  The  glorious  light  from  darkness  sprung ! 
Thy  quick*ning  influence  afford, 
And  clothe  with  powVthepreacher'stongue. 

2  Though  'tis  thy  truth  he  hopes  to  speak, 
He  cannot  give  the  hearing  ear ; 

'Tis  thine  the  stubborn  heart  to  break, 
And  make  the  careless  sinner  fear. 

3  As  when,  of  old,  the  water  flow'd 
Forth  from  the  rock  at  thy  command*; 

Moses  in  vain  had  wav*d  his  rod, 
Without  thy  wonder-working  hand. 

4  As  when  the  walls  of  Jericho, 
Down  to  the  earth  at  once  were  castf; 

It  was  thy  pow'r  that  brought  them  low, 
And  not  the  trumpet's  feeble  blast. 

5  Thus  we  would  in  the  means  be  found. 
And  thus  on  thee  alone  depend  ; 

To  make  the  Gospel's  joyful  sound 
Effectual  to  the  promis'd  end. 

6  Now,  while  we  hear  thy  word  of  grace. 
Let  self  and  pride  before  it  fall ; 

,«g^     And  rocky  hearts  dissolve  apace, 
^  In  sti-eams  of  sorrow  at  diy  call. 

7  On  all  our  youth  assembled  here 
4. The  unction  of  thy  Spirit  pour ; 

\3L  Nor  let  them  lose  another  year, 
.•^JP^st  thou  shouldst  strive  and  call  no  luoix  . 
*  Numbers  xx.  11.  t  Joshua  vi.      '. 

.'-01..  iii^ ,  4  .?Q 


4i8^  Stasoiis.  Book  11 . 

XIX.     Elijah' a  Mantle.     2  Kings  ii.  1 1— -U. 

1  £  L I  s  H  A ,  Struck  with  grief  and  awe, 

Cry'd,  *'  Ah!  where  now  is  Israel's  stay?" 
When  he  his  honour'd  master  saw 
Borne  by  a  fiery  car  away. 

2  But  while  he  look'd  a  last  adieu, 

His  mantle,  as  it  fell,  he  caught ; 
The  Spirit  rested  on  him  too, 
And  eqOal  miracles  he  wiought. 

3  <'  Where  is  Elijah's  God  ?"  he  cry'd, 

And  with  the  mantle  smote  the  flood  ; 
His  word  controll'd  the  swelling  tide, 
Th'  obedient  w^aters  upright  stood. 

4  The  wonder-working  Gospel  thus. 

From  hand  to  hand,  has  been  convey 'd  ; 
We  have  the  mantle  still  with  us. 
But  where,"  O  where  the  Spirit's  aid. 

5  When  Peter  first  his  mantle  Avav'd*, 

How  soon  it  melted  hearts  of  steel ! 
Sinners,  by  thousands,  then  were  sav*d. 
But  now  how  few  its  virtues  feel ! 

6  Where  is  Elijah's  God,  the  Lord ! 

Thine  Israel's  hope,  and  joy,  and  boast ! 
Reveal  thine  arm,  confirm  thy  word, 
Give  us  another  Pentecost ! 

7  Assist  thy  messenger  to  speak, 

And,  while  he  aims  to  lisp  thy  truth, 
The  bonds  of  sin  and  Satan  break. 
And  pour  thy  blessing  on  our  youth. 

*  Acts  ii. 


If y  mil  20.  Seasons.  483 

8  For  them  we  now  approach  thy  throne, 
Teach  them  to  know  and  love  thy  name ; 
Then  shall  thy  thankful  people  own 
Elijah's  God  is  still  the  same. 


HYMNS 

AFTER  SERMONS  TO  YOUNG  PEOPLE,  ON  NEW  YEARs' 
EVENINGS,  SUITED  TO  THE  SUBJECTS. 

XX.  David's  Charge  to  Solomon.    1  Chron.  xxviii.  9. 

1  O  David's  Son,  and  David's  Lord  ! 

From  age  to  age  thou  art  the  same  ; 
Thy  gracious  presence  now  afford, 
And  teach  our  youth  to  know  thy  name. 

2  Thy  people.  Lord,  though  oft  distrest, 

Upheld  by  thee  thus  far  are  come  ; 
And  now  we  long  to  see  thy  rest, 
And  wait  thy  word  to  call  us  home. 

3  Like  David,  when  this  life  shall  end, 

We  trust  in  thee,  sure  peace  to  find  ; 
Like  him  to  thee  we  now  commend 
The  children  we  must  leave  behind. 

4  Ere  long,  we  hope  to  be  where  care, 

And  sin,  and  sorrow,  never  come  ; 
But,  oh !  accept  our  humble  pray'r 

That  these  may  praise  thee  in  our  room. 

5  Show  them  how  vile  they  are  by  sin, 

And  wash  them  in  thy  cleansing  blood ; 
Oh  !  make  them  willing  to  be  thine, 
And  be  to  them  a  cov'nant  God. 


4«S4>  Seasons.  liook  II. 

6  Long  may  thy  light  and  trutli  remain, 
To  bless  this  place  when  we  are  gone  ; 
And  numbers  here  be  born  again, 
To  dwell  for  ever  near  thy  throne. 


XXI.      The  Lord's  Call  to  his  Children.     2  Cor.  vi. 
17,  18. 

1  Let  us  adore  the  grace  that  seeks 

To  draw  our  hearts  above  I 
Attend,  'tis  God  the  Saviour  speaks, 
And  ev'ry  Avord  is  love. 

2  Though  fill'd  with  awe,  before  his  tlirone 

Each  angel  veils  his  face  ; 

He  claims  a  people  for  his  own 

Amongst  our  sinful  race. 

S  Careless  a  while  they  live  in  sin, 
Enslav'd  to  Satan's  power ; 
But  they  obey  the  call  divine, 
In  his  appointed  hour. 

4  "  Come  forth,"  he  says,  "  no  more  pursue 

"  The  paths  that  lead  to  death  ; 
**  Look  up,  a  bleeding  Saviour  view, 
**  Look,  and  be  sav*d  by  faith. 

5  "  My  sons  and  daughters  you  shall  be 

"  Throu^  the  atoning  blood  ; 
"  And  you  shall  claim,  and  find  in  me, 
"  A  Father,  and  a  God." 

0  Lord,  speak  these  words  to  ev'ry  heart, 
By  tlune  all-powerful  voice ; 
That  we  may  now  from  sin  depart, 
And  make  thy  love  our  choice. 


Hymn  22.  Seasons.  485 

7  If  now  we  learn  to  seek  thy  face 
By  Christ  the  living  way, 
We'll  praise  thee  for  this  hour  of  grace, 
Through  an  eternal  day. 


XXII.     The  Prayer  of  Jabez.     1  Chron.  iy.  9,  10. 

1  Jesus,  who  bought  us  with  his  blood, 

And  makes  our  souls  his  care, 
Was  known  of  old  as  Israel's  God, 
And  answer'd  Jabez'  pray'r. 

2  Jabez  !  a  child  of  grief !  the  name 

Befits  poor  sinners  well ; 
For  Jesus  bore  the  cross  and  shame, 
To  save  our  souls  from  hell. 

53  Teach  us,  O  Lord,  like  him  to  plead 
For  mercies  from  above : 
O  come,  and  bless  our  souls  indeed, 
With  light,  and  joy,  and  love. 

4  The  Gospel's  promis  d  land  is  wide, 

We  fain  would  enter  in  ; 
But  we  are  press  *d  on  every  side 
With  unbelief  and  sin. 

5  Arise,  O  Lord,  enlarge  our  coast, 

Let  us  possess  the  whole, 
That  Satan  may  no  longer  boast, 
He  can  thy  work  control. 

6  Oh  !  may  thy  hand  be  with  us  still, 

Our  guide  and  guardian  be, 
To  keep  us  safe  from  ev'ry  ill. 
Till  death  shall  set  us  free. 


486  Seasons.  Book  II. 

7  Help  us  on  thee  to  cast  our  care, 
And  on  thy  word  to  rest, 
That  Israel's  God,  who  heareth  pray'r, 
Will  grant  us  our  request. 

XXIII.       Waiting  at  Wisdom's  Gates.     Prov.  viii. 
34,  35. 

1  Ensnar'd  too  long  my  heart  has  been 

In  folly's  hurtful  ways ; 
Oh !  may  I  how,  at  length,  begin 
To  hear  what  Wisdom  says ! 

2  *Tis  Jesus,  from  the  mercy-seat, 

Invites  me  to  his  rest ; 
He  calls  poor  sinners  to  his  feet. 
To  make  them  truly  blest. 

3  Approach,  my  soul,  to  Wisdom's  gates, 

While  it  is  call'd  to-day  ; 
No  one  who  watches  there,  and  waits. 
Shall  e'er  be  turn'd  away. 

4  He  will  not  let  me  seek  in  vain  ; 

For  all  who  trust  his  word 
Shall  everlasting  life  obtain, 
And  favour  from  the  Lord. 

5  Lord,  I  have  hated  thee  too  long, 

And  dar'd  thee  to  thy  face  ; 
I've  done  my  soul  exceeding  wTong 
In  slighting  all  thy  grace. 

6  Now  I  would  break  my  league  with  death, 

And  live  to  thee  alone  ; 
Oh  !  let  thy  Spirit's  seal  of  faith 
Secure  me  for  thine  own. 


Hyniii  24;.  Seasons.  't87 

7  Let  all  the  saints  assembled  here, 
Yea,  let  all  heav'n  rejoice, 
That  I  begin  with  this  new  year 
To  make  the  Lord  my  choice. 


XXIV.     Mking  the  Way  to  Ziort.     Jer.  1.  5. 

1  ZioN,  the  city  of  our  God, 

How  glorious  is  the  place  ! 
The  Saviour  there  has  his  abode, 
And  sinners  see  his  face ! 

2  Firm  against  ev'ry  adverse  shock, 

Its  mighty  bulwarks  prove  ; 
'Tis  built  upon  the  living  Rock, 
And  wall'd  around  with  love. 

3  There  all  the  fruits  of  glory  grow, 

And  joys  that  never  die  ; 
And  streams  of  grace  and  knowledge  flow, 
The  soul  to  satisfy. 

4  Come,  set  your  faces  Zion-ward, 

The  sacred  road  inquire ; 
And  let  a  union  to  the  Lord 
Be  henceforth  your  desire. 

5  The  Gospel  shines  to  give  you  light, 

No  longer,  then,  delay ; 
The  Spirit  waits  to  guide  you  right, 
And  Jesus  is  the  way. 

Q  O  Lord,  regard  thy  people's  pray'r, 
Thy  promise  now  fulfil ; 
And  young  and  old  by  grace  prepare 
To  dwell  on  Zion's  hill. 


Seasons.  Book  il. 

XXV.       JVe  were  Pharaoh^ s  Bondmen.      Deut.  vi. 
20 — ^23. 

1  Beneath  the  tyrant  Satan's  yoke, 

Our  souls  were  long  opprest ; 
Till  grace  our  galling  fetters  broke, 
And  gave  the  weary  rest. 

2  Jesus,  in  that  important  hour, 

His  mighty  arm  made  known ; 
He  ransom'd  us  by  price  and  pow'r, 
And  claim 'd  us  for  his  own. 

3  Now,  freed  from  bondage,  sin,  and  death. 

We  walk  in  wisdom's  ways  ; 
And  wish  to  spend  our  ev'ry  breath 
In  wonder,  love,  and  praise. 

4  Ere  long,  we  hope  with  him  to  dwell 

In  yonder  world  above  ; 
And  now  we  only  live  to  tell 
The  riches  of  his  love. 

5  O  might  we,  ere  we  hence  remove, 

Prevail  upon  our  youth 
,To  seek,  that  they  may  likewise  prove, 
His  mercy  and  his  truth, 

6  Like  Simeon,  we  shall  gladly  go*, 

Wlien  Jesus  calls  us  home ; 
If  they  are  left  a  seed  below, 
To  serve  him  in  our  room. 

7  Lord,  hear  our  prayV,  indulge  our  hope. 

On  these  thy  Spirit  pour. 
That  they  may  take  our  story  up, 
When  we  can  speak  no  more.. 
*  Luke  ii.  29. 


Jfyinn  26.  Seasons.  489 


XXVI.      Travailling  in  Birth  for  Souls.    Gal.  iv.  1 9. 

1  Wh  a  t  contradictions  meet 

In  ministers*  employ  I 
It  is  a  bitter  sweet, 

A  sorrow  full  of  joy  : 
No  other  post  aifords  a  place 
For  equal  honour  or  disgrace  ! 

2  Who  can  describe  the  pain 

Which  faithful  preachers  feel, 
Constrain'd  to  speak  in  vain, 
To  hearts  as  hard  as  steel ! 
Or  who  can  tell  the  pleasures  felt, 
When  stubborn  hearts  begin  to  melt  I 

3  The  Saviour's  dying  love, 

The  soul's  amazing  worth, 
Their  utmost  efforts  move, 

And  draw  their  bowels  forth : 
They  pray  and  strive,  their  rest  departs, 
Till  Clirist  be  form'd  in  sinners'  hearts. 

4  If  some  small  hope  appear, 

They  still  are  not  content ; 
But  with  a  jealous  fear. 

They  watch  for  the  event : 
Too  oft  they  find  their  hopes  deceiv'd, 
Then  how  their  inmost  souls  are  griev'd ! 

5  But  when  their  pains  succeed, 

And  from  the  tender  blade 
The  rip'ning  ears  proceed. 

Their  toils  are  overpaid  : 
No  harvest-joy  can  equal  theirs, 
To  find  the  fruit  of  all  their  cares. 
Vol.  III.  3  R 


'%90  Seasons.  Book  II. 

6  On  what  has  now  been  sown, 
Thy  blessing,  Lord,  bestow ; 
The  povv'r  is  thine  alone, 

To  make  it  spring  and  grow : 
Do  thou  the  gracious  harvest  raise, 
And  thou  alone  shalt  have  the  praise, 

XXVII.      We  are  Ambassadors  for  Christ. 
2  Cor.  V.  20. 

1  Thy  message  by  the  preacher  seal, 

And  let  thy  pow'r  be  known, 
That  ev'ry  sinner  here  may  feel 
The  word  is  not  his  own. 

2  Amongst  the  foremost  of  the  throng, 

Who  dare  thee  to  thy  face, 
He  in  rebellion  stood  too  long, 
And  fought  against  thy  grace. 

3  But  grace  prevail 'd,  he  mercy  found. 

And  now  by  thee  is  sent, 

To  tell  his  fellow-rebels  round. 

And  call  them  to  repent. 

4  In  Jesus,  God  is  reconcil'd. 

The  worst  may  be  forgiv'n; 
Come,  and  he'll  own  you  as  a  child, 
And  make  you  heir  of  heav'n. 

5  Oh  !  may  the  word  of  Gospel  truth 

Your  chief  desires  engage  ! 
And  Jesus  be  your  guide  in  youth, 
Your  joy  in  hoary  age. 

6  Perhaps  the  year  that's  now  begun 

May  prove  to  some  their  last ; 
The  sands  of  life  may  soon  be  run, 
The  day  of  grace  be  past. 


Hymn  28.  Seasons.  491 

7  Think,  if  you  slight  this  embassy, 
And  will  not  warning  take. 
When  Jesus  in  the  clouds  you  see, 
What  answer  will  you  make  ? 


XXVIII.    Paul's  farewell  Charge.  Acts  xx.  26,  27. 

1  When  Paul  was  parted  from  his  friends 

It  was  a  weeping  day  ; 
But  Jesus  made  them  all  amends, 
And  wip'd  their  tears  away. 

2  Ere  long  they  met  again  with  joy, 

.  Secure  no  more  to  part, 
Where  praises  ev'ry  tongue  employ, 
And  pleasure  fills  each  heart. 

3  Thus  all  the  preachers  of  his  grace 

Their  children  soon  shall  meet ; 
Together  see  their  Saviour's  face, 
And  worship  at  his  feet. 

4  But  they  who  heard  the  word  in  vain, 

Though  oft  and  plainly  warn'd, 
Will  tremble  when  they  meet  again 
The  ministers  they  scorn*d. 

5  On  your  own  heads  your  blood  will  fall, 

If  any  perish  here  ; 
The  preachers  who  have  told  you  all, 
Shall  stand  approv'd  and  clear. 

6  Yet,  Lord,  to  save  themselves  alone, 

Is  not  their  utmost  view ; 
Oh  !  hear  their  pray'r,  thy  message  own, 
And  save  their  hearers  too. 


492  Seasons.  Book  II. 

XXIX.     Honu  shall  I  put  thee  among  the  Children? 
Jer.  iii,    19. 

1  Alas!  by  nature  how deprav'd, 

How  prone  to  ev'ry  ill  ! 
Our  lives  to  Satan  how  enslav'd, 
How  obstinate  our  will ! 

2  And  can  such  sinners  be  restor'd, 

Such  rebels  reconcil'd  ! 
Can  grace  itself  the  means  afford 
To  make  a  foe  a  child  ? 

3  Yes,  grace  has  found  the  wondrous  means 

Which  shall  effectual  prove, 
To  cleanse  us  from  our  countless  sins, 
And  teach  our  hearts  to  love. 

4  Jesus  for  sinners  undertakes, 

And  dy'd  that  they  may  live  ; 

His  blood  a  full  atonement  makes, 

And  cries  aloud,  "  Forgive." 

^  5  Yet  one  thing  more  must  grace  provide, 
To  bring  us  home  to  God, 
Or  we  shall  slight  the  Lord,  who  dy'd, 
And  trample  on  his  blood. 

6  The  Holy  Spirit  must  reveal 

The  Saviour's  work  and  worth  ; 
Then  the  hard  heart  begins  to  feel 
A  new  and  heav'nly  birth. 

7  Thus  bought  with  blood,  and  bom  again, 

Redeemed,  and  sav'd  by  grace, 
Rebels  in  God's  own  house  obtain 
A  son's  and  daughter's  place. 


Hymn  30.  Seasons.  49^ 


XXX.       Winter*. 

1  See,  how  rude  winter's  icy  hand 

Has  stripp'd  the  trees  and  seal'd  the  ground! 
But  spring  shall  soon  his  rage  withstand, 
And  spread  new  beauties  all  around. 

2  My  soul  a  sharper  winter  mourns. 

Barren  and  fruitless  I  remain  ; 
When  will  the  gentle  spring  return. 
And  bid  my  graces  grow  again  ? 

3  Jesus,  my  glorious  Sun,  arise  ! 

'Tis  thine  the  frozen  heait  to  move ; 
Oh !  hush  these  storms,  and  clear  my  skies, 
And  let  me  feel  thy  vital  love  ! 

4  Dear  Lord,  regard  my  feeble  cry, 

I  faint  and  droop  till  thou  appear  ; 
Wilt  thou  permit  thy  plant  to  die  ? 
Must  it  be  winter  all  the  year  ? 

5  Be  still,  my  soul,  and  wait  this  hour, 

With  humble  pray'r,  and  patient  faith ; 
Till  he  reveals  his  gracious  pow'r, 
Repose  on  what  his  promise  saith. 

6  He,  by  whose  all-commanding  wordf  - 

Seasons  their  changing  course  maintain, 
In  ev'ry  change  a  pledge  ajffords. 

That  none  shall  seek  his  face  in  vain. 
*  Book  iii.  Hymn  31.  t  Oen.  viii.  22. 


4(M!  Seasons.  Book  11. 


XXXI.    Waiting  for  S/iring. 

1  Though  cloudy  skies,  and  northern  blasts, 

Retard  the  gentle  spring  a  while  ; 
The  sun  will  conqu'ror  prove  at  last, 
And  nature  wear  a  vernal  smile. 

2  The  promise  which,  from  age  to  age, 

Has  brought  the  changing  seasons  round, 
Again  shall  calm  the  winter's  rage. 

Perfume  the  air,  and  paint  the  ground. 

3  The  virtue  of  that  first  command, 

I  know  still  does  and  will  prevail, 
That  while  the  earth  itself  shall  stand, 
The  spring  and  summer  shall  not  fail. 

4  Such  changes  are  for  us  decreed  ; 

Believers  have  their  winters  too  ; 
But  spring  shall  certainly  succeed, 
And  all  their  former  life  renew. 

5  Winter  and  spring  have  each  their  use, 

And  each,  in  turn,  his  people  know ; 

One  kills  the  weeds  their  hearts  produce. 

The  other  makes  their  graces  grow. 

6  Though  like  dead  trees  a  while  they  seem. 

Yet  having  life  within  their  root. 
The  welcome  spring's  reviving  beam 
Dra^vs  forth  their  blossoms,  leaves,  and  fruit. 

7  But  if  the  tree  indeed  be  dead, 

It  feels  no  change,  though  spring  return ; 
Its  leafless,  naked,  baiTen  head, 
Proclaims  it  onlv  fit  to  burn. 


Hymn  83.  Seasons,  495 

8  Dear  Lord,  afford  our  souls  a  spring, 

Thou  know'st  our  winter  has  been  long; 
Shine  forth  and  warm  our  hearts  to  sing, 
And  thy  rich  grace  shall  be  our  song. 


XXXII.     Sfiring. 

1  Bleak  winter  is  subdu*d  at  length, 

And  forc'd  to  yield  the  day ; 
The  sun  has  wasted  all  his  strength, 
And  driven  him  away. 

2  And  now  long  wish'd-for  spring  is  come, 

How  alter'd  is  the  scene  ! 
The  trees  and  shrubs  are  dress'd  in  bloom, 
The  earth  array *d  in  green. 

3  Where'er  we  tread,  beneath  our  feet 

The  clust'ring  flowers  spring ; 
The  artless  birds,  in  concert  sweet, 
Invite  our  hearts  to  sing. 

4  But,  ah  !  in  vain  I  strive  to  join, 

Oppress'd  with  sin  and  doubt ; 
I  feel  'tis  winter  still  within, 
Though  all  is  spring  without. 

5  Oh !  would  my  Saviour  from  on  high 

Break  through  these  clouds  and  shine  ! 
No  creature  then  more  blest  than  I, 
No  song  more  loud  than  mine. 

6  Till  then — no  softly- warbling  thrush, 

Nor  cowslip's  sweet  perl  u me, 
Nor  beauties  of  each  painted  bush. 
Can  dissipate  my  gloom. 


496  Seasons.  Book  II. 

7  To  Adam,  soon  as  he  transgress'd, 

Thus  Eden  bloom 'd  in  vain : 
Not  Paradise  could  give  him  rest, 
Or  sooth  his  heart-felt  pain. 

8  Yet  here  an  emblem  I  perceive 

Of  what  the  Lord  can  do ; 
Dear  Saviour,  help  me  to  believe. 
That  I  may  flourish  too. 

9  Thy  word  can  soon  my  hopes  revive. 

Can  overcome  my  foes. 
And  make  my  languid  graces  thrive. 
And  blossom  like  the  rose. 


XXXIII.     Another. 

1  Pleasing  spring  again  is  here  ! 
Trees  and  fields  in  bioom  appear  ! 
Hark  !  the  birds,  with  artless  lays, 
Warble  their  Creator's  praise  ! 
Where,  in  winter,  all  was  snow, 
Now  the  ftow'rs  in  clusters  grow ; 
And  the  corn,  in  green  array, 
Promises  a  harvest  day. 

2  What  a  change  has  taken  place  ! 
Emblem  of  the  spring  of  grace ; 
How  the  soul,  in  winter  mourns, 
Till  the  Lcfrd,  the  Sun,  returns ; 
Till  the  Spirit's  gentle  rain 
Bids  the  heart  revive  again ; 
Then  the  stone  is  turn'd  to  flesh. 
And  each  grace  springs  forth  afresh. 


Hymn  34.  ."Seasons.  40T 

3  Lord,  afford  a  spring  to  me  ! 
Let  me  feel  like  what  I  see  ! 
Ah !  my  winter  has  been  long, 
Chiird  my  hopes,  and  stopp'd  my  song ! 
Winter  threat 'ned  to  destroy 

Faith,  and  love,  and  evVy  joy  ; 
If  thy  life  was  in  the  root, 
Still  I  could  not  yield  thee  fruit. 

4  Speak,  and  by  thy  gracious  voice 
Make  my  drooping  soul  rejoice ; 
O  beloved  Saviour,  haste, 

Tell  me,  all  the  storms  are  past : 
On  thy  garden  deign  to  smile, 
Raise  the  plants,  enrich  the  soil ; 
Soon  thy  presence  will  restore 
Life  to  what  seem'd  dead  before. 

5  Lord,  I  long  to  be  at  home, 
Where  these  changes  never  come ! 
Where  the  saints  no  winter  fear. 
Where  'tis  spring  throughout  the  year  : 
How  unlike  this  state  below  ! 

There  the  fiow'rs  unwith'ring  blow  : 
There  no  chilling  blasts  annoy ; 
All  is  love,  and  bloom,  and  joy. 


XXXIV.     Stmaner  Storms*. 

1  Though  the  morn  may  be  serene. 
Not  a  threat'ning  cloud  be  seen, 
Who  can  undertake  to  say 
'Twill  be  pleasant  all  the  day? 
*  Book  iii.  Hymn  68, 

Vol.  tit  S  S 


498  Seasons.  Book  IF. 

Tempests  suddenly  may  arise, 
Darkness  overspread  the  skies, 
Lightnings  flash,  and  thunders  roar, 
Ere  a  short-lived  day  be  o'er. 

2  Often  thus  the  child  of  grace 
Enters  on  his  Christian  race  ; 
Guilt  and  fear  are  overborne, 
'Tis  with  him  a  summer's  morn  ; 
While  his  new-felt  joys  abound, 
All  things  seem  to  smile  around ; 
And  he  hopes  it  will  be  fair, 

All  the  day,  and  all  the  year. 

3  Should  we  warn  him  of  a  change. 
He  would  think  the  caution  strange  ; 
He  no  change  or  trouble  fears. 

Till  the  gathering  storm  appears*; 
Till  dark  clouds  his  sun  conceal, 
Till  temptation's  pow'r  he  feel ; 
Then  he  trembles  and  looks  pale, 
All  his  hopes  and  courage  fail. 

4  But  the  wonder-working  Lord 
Sooths  the  tempest  by  his  word  : 
Stills  the  thunder,  stops  the  rain. 
And  his  sun  breaks  forth  again  : 
Soon  the  cloud  again  returns. 
Now  he  joys,  and  now  he  mourns  ; 
Oft  his  sky  is  overcast, 

Ere  the  day  of  life  be  past. 

5  Try'd  believers  too  can  say, 
In  the  course  of  one  short  day, 
TnDugh  the  morning  has  been  fair^ 
Prov'd  a  golden  hour  of  pray'r, 

Book  i.  Hymn  44. 


Hymn  35.  Seasons.  499 

Sin  and  Satan,  long  ere  night, 
Have  their  comforts  put  to  flight ; 
Ah !  what  heart-felt  peace  and  joy 
Unexpected  storms  destroy. 

6  Dearest  Saviour,  call  us  soon. 
To  thine  high  eternal  noon  ; 
Never  there  shall  tempest  rise, 
To  conceal  thee  from  our  eyes  : 
Satan  shall  no  more  deceive. 
We  no  more  thy  Spirit  grieve ; 
But  through  cloudless,  endless  days, 
Sound  to  golden  harps  thy  praise. 


XXXV.    Hay-time. 

1  The  grass, and flow'rs,  which  clothe  the  field, 

And  look  so  green  and  gay, 
Touch'd  by  the  scythe,  defenceless  yield, 
And  fall,  and  fade  away. 

2  Fit  emblem  of  our  mortal  state ! 

Thus  in  the  Scripture  glass, 
The  young,  the  strong,  the  wise,  the  great, 
May  see  themselves  but  grass*. 

3  Ah !  trust  not  to  your  fleeting  breath, 

Nor  call  your  time  your  own ; 
Around  you  see  the  scythe  of  death 
Is  mowing  thousands  down. 

4  And  you,  who  hitherto  are  spar'd, 

Must  shortly  yield  your  lives  ; 
Your  wisdom  is  to  be  prepar'd 
Before  the  stroke  arrives. 

*  Isaiah  xl.  7. 


500  6easom»  kook  1 ! 

5  The  grass,  when  dead,  revives  no  more ; 

You  die  to  live  again ; 
But,  oh  !  if  death  should  prove  the  door 
To  everlasting  pain. 

6  Lord,  help  us  to  obey  thy  call. 

That,  from  our  sins  set  free. 
When  like  the  grass  our  bodies  fall, 
Our  souls  may  spring  to  thee. 

XXXVI.    Harvest. 

1  See  !  the  corn  again  in  ear  ! 

How  the  fields  and  vallics  smile  ! 
Harvest  now  is  draAving  near, 

To  repay  the  famier's  toil : 
Gracious  Lord,  secure  the  crop, 

Satisfy  the  poor  with  food  ; 
In  thy  mercy  is  our  hope. 

We  have  sinn'd,  but  thou  art  good. 

'2  While  I  view  the  plenteous  grain 

As  it  ripens  on  the  stalk, 
May  I  not  instruction  gain 

Helpful  to  my  daily  walk  ? 
All  this  plenty  of  the  field 

Was  produc'd  from  foreign  seeds  ; 
For  the  earth  itself  would  yield 

Only  crops  of  useless  weeds. 

3  Though,  when  newly  sown,  it  lay 

Hid  a  while  beneath  the  ground, 
(Some  might  think  it  thrown  away,) 

Now  a  lai'ge  increase  is  found : 
Though  conceal'd,  it  was  not  lost, 

Though  it  dy'd,  it  lives  again  ; 
Eastern  storms,  and  nipping  frosts. 

Have  oppos'd  its  growth  in  vain. 


ilyam  37.  Seasons.  ^1 

4  Let  the  praise  be  all  the  Lord's, 

As  the  benefit  is  ours  ! 
He,  in  season,  still  affords 

Kindly  heat,  and  gentle  show'rs : 
By  his  care  the  produce  thrives, 

Waving  o'er  the  furrow'd  lands ; 
And  when  harvest  time  arrives, 

Ready  for  the  reaper  stands. 

5  Thus  in  barren  hearts  he  sows 

Precious  seeds  of  heav'nly  joy*; 
Sin  and  hell  in  vain  oppose. 

None  can  grace's  crop  destroy : 
Threat'ned  oft,  though  still  it  blooms, 

After  many  changes  past, 
Death,  the  reaper,  when  he  comes, 

Finds  it  fully  ripe  at  last. 

CHRISTMAS. 

XXXVII.      Praise  for  the  hicarnation, 

1  Sweeter  sounds  than  music  knows 

Charm  me  in  Immanuel's  name ; 
All  her  hopes  my  spirit  owes 

To  his  birth,  and  cross,  and  shame. 

2  When  he  came,  the  angels  sung, 

"  Glory  be  to  God  on  high ;" 
Lord,  unloose  my  stamm'ring  tongue, 
Who  should  louder  sing  than  I  ? 

3  Did  the  Lord  a  man  become, 

That  he  might  the  law  fulfil, 
Bleed  and  suffer  in  my  room, 

And  canst  thou,  my  tongue,  be  still  ? 

*  Hosea  xiv.  7.;     Mark  iv.  26 — 29. 


•"iOS  ^  Seasons.  liook  ll. 

-t  No,  I  must  my  praises  bring, 

Though  they  worthless  aie  and  Aveak  ; 
For  should  I  refuse  to  sing, 

Sure  the  very  stones  would  speak. 

5  O  my  Saviour,  Shield,  and  Sun, 

Shepherd,  Brother,  Husband,  Friend, 
Ev'ry  precious  name  in  one, 
I  will  love  thee  without  end. 


XXXVIII.     C.      Jehovah' Jesuit. 

1  My  song  shall  bless  the  Lord  of  all. 

My  praise  shall  climb  to  his  abode  ; 
Thee,  Saviour,  by  that  name  I  call, 
The  great,  supreme,  the  mighty  God. 

2  Without  beginning  or  decline. 

Object  of  faith,  and  not  of  sense  ; 
Eternal  ages  saw  him  shine. 
He  shines  eternal  ages  hence. 

3  As  much,  when  in  the  manger  laid, 

Almighty  Ruler  of  the  sky. 
As  when  the  six  days'  work  he  made 
Fill'd  all  the  morning  stars  with  joy. 

4  Of  all  the  crowns  Jehovah  bears, 

Salvation  is  his  dearest  claim ; 
That  gracious  sound  well  pleased  he  hears, 
And  owns  Immanuel  for  his  name. 

5  A  cheerful  confidence  I  feel, 

My  well-plac*d  hopes  with  joy  I  see  : 
My  bosom  glows  with  heav'nly  zeal 
To  worship  him  who  dy'd  for  me. 


Hymn  S9.  ^'ea&ons.  -505 

6  As  man,  he  pities  my  complaint, 

His  pow'r  and  truth  are  all  divine  ; 
He  will  not  fail,  he  cannot  faint, 
Salvation's  sure  and  must  be  mine. 


XXXIX.     Man  honoured  above  jingeU. 

1  Now  let  us  join  with  hearts  and  tongues, 
And  emulate  the  angels'  songs  ; 

Yea,  sinners  may  address  their  King 
In  songs  that  angels  cannot  sing. 

2  They  praise  the  Lamb  who  once  was  slain* 
But  we  can  add  a  higher  strain  ; 

Not  only  say,  "  He  suffer'd  thus," 
But  that  "  he  suifer'd  all  for  us." 

3  When  angels  by  transgression  fell, 
Justice  consign'd  them  all  to  hell ; 
But  Mercy  form'd  a  wondrous  plan, 
To  save  and  honour  fallen  man. 

4  Jesus,  who  pass'd  the  angels  by, 
Assum'd  our  flesh  to  bleed  and  dief; 
And  still  he  makes  it  his  abode ; 

As  man  he  fills  the  throne  of  God. 

5  Our  next  of  kin,  our  Brother  now, 
Is  he  to  whom  the  angels  bow ; 
They  join  with  us  to  praise  his  name, 
But  we  the  nearest  int'rest  claim. 

6  But,  ah !  how  faint  our  praises  rise ! 
Sure,  'tis  the  wonder  of  the  skies. 
That  we,  who  shaie  his  richest  love, 
So  cold  and  unconcern'd  should  prove. 

»  Rev.  V.  tHeb.  ii.  16. 


504  Seasons,  hook  II. 

7  Oh,  glorious  hour,  it  comes  with  speed  ! 
When  we,  from  sin  and  darkness  freed, 
Shall  see  the  God  who  died  for  man, 
And  praise  him  more  than  angels  can*. 


XL.     Saturday  Evening.' 

1  Safely  through  another  week, 

God  has  brought  us  on  our  way  ; 
Let  us  now  a  blessing  seek, 

On  th'  approaching  Sabbath-day  : 
Day  of  all  the  week  the  best, 
Emblem  of  eternal  rest. 

2  Mercies  multiply'd  each  hour 

Through  the  week  our  praise  demand ; 
Guarded  by  Almighty  powV, 

Fed  and  guided  by  his  hand  : 
Though  ungrateful  we  have  been, 
Only  made  returns  of  sin. 

3  While  we  pray,  for  pard'ning  grace, 

Through  the  dear  Redeemer's  name, 
Show  thy  reconciled  face, 

Shine  away  our  sin  and  shame  : 
From  our  worldly  care  set  free, 
May  we  rest  this  night  with  thee. 

4  When  the  mom  shall  bid  us  rise, 

May  we  feel  thy  presence  near  ! 
May  thy  glory  meet  our  eyes 

When  we  in  thy  house  appear ! 
There  afford  us,  Lord,  a  taste 
Of  our  everlasting  feast. 

*  Book  iii.  Hymn  88. 


Hymn  41.  Seasons.  605 

5  May  thy  Gospel's  joyful  sound 
Conquer  sinners,  comfort  saints ; 

Make  the  fruits  of  grace  abound, 
Bring  relief  for  all  complaints  : 

Thus  may  all  our  Sabbaths  prove, 

Thl  we  join  the  church  above ! 


THE  CLOSE  OF  THE  YEAR. 

XLI.     Ebenezcr*. 

1  The  Lord,  our  salvation  and  light, 

The  guide  of  our  strength  and  our  days. 
Has  brought  us  together  to-night, 

A  new  Ebenezer  to  raise  : 
The  year  we  have  now  passed  through, 

His  goodness  with  blessings  has  crown'd, 
Each  morning  his  mercies  were  new  ; 

Then  let  our  thanksgivings  abound. 

2  Encompass'd  with  dangers  and  snares, 

Temptations,  and  fears,  and  complaints, 
His  ear  he  inclin'd  to  our  pray'rs, 

His  hand  open*d  wide  to  our  wants : 
We  never  besought  him  in  vain  ; 

When  burden'd  with  sorrow  or  sin, 
He  help'd  us  again  and  again, 

Or  where  before  now  had  we  been  ? 

3  His  Gospel  throughout  the  long  year. 

From  Sabbath  to  Sabbath  he  gave  ; 
How  oft  has  he  met  with  us  here. 
And  shown  himself  mighty  to  save  ? 

*   1   Sam.  vii.  12. 

Vol.  III.  Q  T 


506  Seasons.  Book  11. 

His  candlestick  has  been  remov'd 
From  churches  once  privileg'd  thus ; 

But  though  we  unworthy  have  prov'd, 
It  still  is  continu'd  to  us. 

4  For  so  many  mercies  receiv'd, 

Alas  !  what  returns  have  we  made  ? 
His  Spirit  we  often  have  griev'd, 

And  evil  for  good  have  repaid  : 
How  well  it  becomes  us  to  cry, 

"  Oh !  who  is  a  God  like  to  thee  ? 
"  Who  passest  iniquities  by, 

"  And  plungest  them  deep  in  the  sea !" 

5  To  Jesus,  who  sits  on  the  throne, 

Our  best  hallelujahs  we  bring ; 
To  thee  it  is  owing  alone 

That  we  are  permitted  to  sing  : 
Assist  us,  we  pray,  to  lament 

The  sins  of  the  year  that  is  past ; 
And  grant  that  the  next  may  be  spent 

Fai'  more  to  thy  praise  than  the  last. 


XLII.     Another. 

1  Let  hearts  and  tongues  unite. 

And  loud  thanksgivings  raise : 
*Tis  duty  mingl'd  with  delight. 
To  sing  the  Saviour's  praise. 

2  To  him  \ve  owe  our  breath, 

He  took  us  from  the  womb. 
Which  else  had  shut  us  up  in  death^ 
And  prov'd  an  early  tomb. 


Hymn  42.  Seasons.  50?" 

3  When  on  the  breast  we  hung, 

Our  help  was  in  the  Lord  ; 
*Twas  he  first  taught  our  infant  tongue 
To  form  the  lisping  word. 

4  When  in  our  blood  we  lay, 

He  would  not  let  us  die, 
Because  his  love  had  fix'd  a  day 
To  bring  salvation  nigh. 

5  In  childhood  and  in  youth, 

His  eye  was  on  us  still ; 
Though  strangers  to  his  love  and  truths 
And  prone  to  cross  his  will. 

6  And  since  his  name  we  knew, 

How  gracious  has  he  been  ; 
What  dangers  has  he  led  us  tlirough, 
What  mercies  have  we  seen  ! 

7  Now  through  another  year, 

Supported  by  his  care. 
We  raise  our  Ebenezer  here, 

"  The  Lord  has  help'd  thus  far." 

8  Our  lot  in  future  yeai's 

Unable  to  foresee. 
He  kindly  to  prevent  our  fears. 
Says,  "  Leave  it  all  to  me." 

9  Yea,  Lord,  we  wish  to  cast 

Our  cares  upon  thy  breast ! 
Help  us  to  praise  thee  for  the  past, 
And  trust  thee  for  the  rest. 


508  Ordhionoes.  Book  II. 

II.  ORDINANCES. 

XLIII.      On  o/ieni7iff  a  Place  Jor  social  Prayer. 

1  O  Lord,  our  languid  souls  inspire, 

For  here,  we  trust,  thou  art ! 

Send  down  a  coal  of  heav'nly  fire, 

To  warm  each  waiting  heart. 

2  Dear  Shepherd  of  thy  people,  hear, 

Thy  presence  now  display  ; 
As  thou  hast  giv'n  a  place  for  pray'r, 
So  give  us  hearts  to  pray. 

3  Show  us  some  token  of  thy  love, 

Our  fainting  hope  to  raise  ; 
And  pour  thy  blessings  from  above, 
That  we  may  render  praise. 

4  Within  these  walls  let  holy  peace. 

And  love,  and  concord  dwell ; 
Here  c:ive  the  troubled  conscience  ease 
The  v/ounded  spirit  heiJ. 

5  The  feeling  heart,  the  melting  eye, 

The  humbled  mind  bestow ; 
And  shine  upon  us  from  on  high, 
To  make  our  graces  grow  ! 

6  May  we  in  faith  receive  thy  word. 

In  faith  present  our  pray'rs  ; 
And,  in  tlie  presence  of  our  Lord, 
Unbosom  iJl  our  cares. 

7  And  may  the  Gospel's  joyful  sound, 

Enforc'd  by  mighty  grace, 

Awaken  many  sinners  round, 

To  come  and  fill  the  place. 


Hymn  44,  Ordinances.  6Q9 


XLIV.     C.     Another. 

1  Jesus,  where'er  thy  people  meet, 
There  they  behold  thy  mercy- seat ; 
Where'er  they  seek  thee,  thou  art  found, 
And  ev'ry  place  is  hallow'd  ground. 

2  For  thou,  within  no  walls  confin'd, 
Inhabitest  the  humble  mind  ; 

Such  ever  bring  thee  where  they  come, 
And  going,  take  thee  to  their  home. 

3  Dear  Shepherd  of  thy  chosen  few, 
Thy  former  mercies  here  renew  ; 
Here,  to  our  waiting  hearts  proclaim 
The  sweetness  of  thy  saving  name. 

4  Here  may  we  prove  the  pow'r  of  pray'r, 
To  strengthen  faith  and  sweeten  care  ; 
To  teach  our  faint  desires  to  rise. 
And  bring  all  heav'n  before  our  eyes. 

5  Behold,  at  thy  commanding  word, 
We  stretch  the  curtain  and  the  cord*; 
Come  thou  and  fill  this  wider  space, 
And  bless  us  with  a  large  increase, 

G  Lord,  we  are  few,  but  thou  art  near ; 
Nor  short  thine  arm,  nor  deaf  thine  ear ; 
Oh !  rend  the  heav'ns,  come  quickly  down, 
And  make  a  thousand  hearts  thine  ©wn ! 

*  Isaiah  liv.  2. 


Sltt  Ordinances,  Book  11. 


XLV.      The  Lord's  Day. 

1  How  welcome  to  the  saints,  when  press'd 

With  six  days*  noise,  and  care,  and  toil. 
Is  the  returning  day  of  rest. 
Which  hides  them  from  the  world  a  while! 

2  Now  from  the  throng  withdrawn  awa}--, 

They  seem  to  breathe  a  diffVent  air; 
Compos'd  and  soft'ned  by  the  day, 
Ail  things  another  aspect  wear. 

3  How  happy  if  their  lot  is  cast 

Where  statedly  the  Gospel  sounds  ! 
Ti»e  word  is  honey  to  their  taste,  [wounds! 
Renews  their  straigth,  and  heals  their 

4  Though  pinch 'd  with  poverty  at  home, 

With  sharp  afflictions  daily  fed, 
It  makes  amends,  if  they  can  come 

To  God's  own  house  for  heav'nly  bread! 

5  With  joy  they  hasten  to  the  place 

Where  they  their  Saviour  oft  ha^^e  met ; 
And  while  they  feast  upon  his  grace, 
Their  burdens  and  their  griefs  forget. 

6  This  favour 'd  lot  my  friends  is  ours, 

May  we  the  privilege  improve. 
And  find  these  consecrated  hours 
Sweet  earnests  of  the  joys  above  ! 

7  We  thank  thee  for  thy  day,  O  Lord  : 

Here  we  thy  promis'd  presence  seek  ; 
Open  thine  hand,  with  blessings  stor'd, 
And  give  us  muuna  for  the  week. 


Hymn  4G.  Ordinances,  611 


XLVI.     Gospel  Privileges. 

1  O  HAPPY  they  who  know  the  Lord, 

With  whom  he  deigns  to  dwell ! 
He  feeds  and  cheers  them  by  his  word, 
His  arm  supports  them  well. 

2  To  them,  in  each  distressing  hour, 

His  throne  of  grace  is  near ; 
And  when  they  plead  his  love  and  pow'r, 
He  stands  engag'd  to  hear. 

5  He  help'd  his  saints,  in  ancient  days, 
Who  trusted  in  his  name  ; 
And  we  can  witness,  to  his  praise. 
His  love  is  still  the  same. 

4  Wand'ring  in  sin,  our  souls  he  found, 
And  bid  us  seek  his  luce  ; 
Gave  us  to  hear  the  Gospel  sounds 
And  taste  tlie  Gospel  grace. 

B  Oft  in  his  house  his  glory  shines^ 
Before  our  wond'ring  eyes  ; 
We  wish  not  then  for  golden  mines, 
Or  aught  beneath  the  skies. 

6  His  presence  sweetens  all  our  cares, 

And  makes  our  burdens  light ; 

A  word  from  him  dispels  our  fearSj 

And  gilds  the  gloom  of  night. 

7  Lord,  we  expect  to  suffer  here. 

Nor  would  we  dare  repine ; 
But  give  us  still  to  find  thee  neai', 
Aiict  own  us  still  for  thine.. 


5JU8  OnUnanaes.  liook  II. 

S  Let  us  enjoy  and  highly  prize 
These  tokens  of  thy  love, 
Till  thou  shalt  bid  our  spirits  rise, 
To  worship  thee  above. 


XLVII.     Another. 

1  Happy  are  they  to  whom  the  Lord 

His  gracious  name  makes  known  ! 
And  by  his  Spirit,  and  his  word. 
Adopts  them  for  his  own ! 

2  He  calls  them  to  his  mercy- seat. 

And  hears  their  humble  pray'r ; 
And  when  within  his  house  they  meet, 
They  find  his  presence  near. 

3  The  force  of  their  united  cries 

No  pow'r  can  long  withstand  ; 
For  Jesus  helps  them  from  the  skies  ; 
By  his  almight}^  hand. 

4  Then  mountains  sink  at  once  to  plains. 

And  light  from  darkness  springs ; 
Each  seeming  loss  improves  their  gains, 
Each  trouble  comfort  brings. 

5  Though  men  despise  them  or  revile. 

They  count  their  trial  small ; 
Whoever  frowns,  if  Jesus  smile. 
It  makes  amends  for  all. 

6  Though  meanly  clad,  and  coarsely  fed, 

And,  like  their  Saviour,  poor ; 
They  would  not  change  their  Gospel  bread 
For  all  the  worldling's  store. 


Hymn  4^.  OrcKmnces.  ^IS 

7  When  cheer'd  with  faith's  sublimer  joys, 

They  mount  on  eagles'  wings  ; 

They  can  disdain  as  children's  toys, 

The  pride  and  pomp  of  kings. 

8  Dear  Lord,  assist  our  souls  to  pay 

The  debt  of  praise  we  owe, 
That  we  enjoy  a  Gospel  day, 
And  heav'n  begun  below. 


XL  VIII.  Praise  for  the  Continuance  of  the  Gosfiel*. 

1  Once,  while  we  aim'd  at  Zion's  songs, 

A  sudden  mourning  check 'd  our  tongues ! 
Then  we  were  call'd  to  sow  in  tears 
The  seeds  of  joy  for  future  years. 

2  Oft  as  that  memorable  hour 

The  changing  year  brings  round  again, 
We  meet  to  praise  the  love  and  pow'r 
Which  heard  our  cries,  and  eas'd  our  pain. 

3  Come,  ye  who  trembled  for  the  ark. 

Unite  in  praise  for  answer' d  prayV ! 

Did  not  the  Lord  our  sorrows  mark  ? 

Did  not  our  sighing  reach  his  ear  ? 

4  Then  smaller  griefs  were  laid  aside, 

And  all  our  cares  summ'd  up  in  one  ; 
"  Let  us  but  have  thy  word,"  we  cry'd, 
*'  In  other  things  thy  will  be  done." 

*  Wherever  a  separation  is  threatened  between 
a  minister  and  people  who  dearly  love  each  other, 
this  hymn  may  be  as  seasonable  as  it  was  once  in 
Olney. 

Vol,  IIL  3  U 


514  Ordinances.  Book  II. 

5  Since  he  has  granted  our  request, 

And  we  still  hear  the  Gospel  voice  ; 
Although  by  many  trials  prest, 
In  this  we  can  and  will  rejoice. 

6  Though  to  our  lot  temptations  fall, 

Though  pain,  and  want,  and  cares  annoy ; 
The  precious  Gospel  sweetens  all, 

And  yields  us  med'cine,  food,  and  joy. 


XLIX.     A  Famine  of  the    Word. 

1  Gl  a  d  n  e  s  s  was  spread  through  Israel's  host 

When  first  they  manna  view'd ; 
They  labour'd  who  should  gather  most. 
And  thought  it  pleasant  food. 

2  But  when  they  had  it  long  enjoy  d, 

From  day  to  day  the  same. 
Their  hearts  were  by  the  plenty  cloy  d, 
Although  from  heav'n  it  came. 

3  Thus  Gospel  bread  at  first  is  priz'd, 

And  makes  a  people  glad  ; 
But  afterwards  too  much  despis'd, 
When  easy  to  be  had  : 

4  But  should  the  Lord,  displeas'd,  withhold 

The  bread  his  mercy  sends  ; 
To  have  our  houses  fiU'd  with  gold 
Would  make  but  poor  amends. 

5  How  tedious  would  the  week  appear, 

How  dull  the  Sabbath  prove, 
Could  we  no  longer  meet  to  hear 
The  precious  truths  we  love  ? 


Hymn  50.  Ordinances.  315 

6  How  would  believing  pai-ents  bear, 

To  leave  their  heedless  youth 
Expos'd  to  ev'ry  fatal  snare, 
Without  the  light  of  truth  ? 

7  The  Gospel,  and  a  praying  few, 

Our  bulwark  long  have  prov'd  ; 
But  Olney  sure  the  day  will  rue 
When  these  shall  be  remov'd. 

8  Then  sin  in  this  once-favour'd  town, 

Will  triumph  unrestrain'd ; 
And  \vrath  and  vengeance  hasten  down. 
No  more  by  pray'r  detain  *d : 

9  Preserve  us  from  this  judgment,  Lord, 

For  Jesus'  sake  we  plead  ; 
A  famine  of  the  Gospel  word 
Would  be  a  stroke  indeed  1 


L.     Prayer  for  Ministers, 

1  Chief  Shepherd  of  thy  chosen  sheep, 

From  death  and  sin  set  free  ; 
May  ev'ry  under  shepherd  keep 
His  eye  intent  on  thee  ! 

2  With  plenteous  grace  their  hearts  prepai'c 

To  execute  thy  will ; 
Compassion,  patience,  love,  and  care, 
And  faithfulness  and  skill. 

3  Inflame  their  minds  with  holy  zeal 

Their  flocks  to  feed  and  teach  ; 

And  let  them  live,  and  let  them  feel 

The  sacred  truths  they  preach. 


516  OrcUiiances.  Book  II. 

4  Oh  !  never  let  the  sheep  complain 

That  toys,  which  fools  amuse, 

Ambition,  pleasure,  praise,  or  gain, 

Debase  the  shepherd's  views. 

5  He  that  for  these  forbears  to  feed 

The  souls  whom  Jesus  loves, 
Whate'er  he  may  profess  or  plead, 
An  idol-shepherd  proves*. 

6  The  sword  of  God  shall  break  his  arm, 

A  blast  shall  blind  his  eye ; 
His  word  shall  have  no  pow'r  to  warm, 
His  gifts  shall  all  grow  dry. 

7  O  Lord,  avert  this  heavy  wo, 

Let  all  thy  shepherds  say  ! 
And  grace  and  strength  on  each  bestow- 
To  labour  while  'tis  day. 


LI.     Prayer  for  a  Revival, 

1  Saviour,  visit  thy  plantation, 

Grant  us.  Lord,  a  gracious  rain  ! 
All  will  come  to  desolation. 

Unless  thou  return  again  : 
Keep  no  longer  at  a  distance, 

Shine  upon  us  from  on  high  ; 
Lest,  for  want  of  thine  assistance, 

Ev'rj'  plant  should  droop  and  die. 

2  Surely,  once  thy  garden  flourish'd, 

Ev'ry  part  look'd  gay  and  green  ; 
Then  thy  word  our  spirits  nourish'd; 
Happy  seasons  \xt  have  seen ! 
*  Zechariah  xt.  \7. 


Hymn  52.  'Onlinanccs.  517 

But  a  drought  has  since  succeeded, 

And  a  sad  decline  we  see  ; 
Lord,  thy  help  is  greatly  needed  ; 

Help  can  only  come  from  thee. 

3  Where  ai*e  those  we  counted  leaders, 

Fill'd  with  zeal,  and  love,  and  truth  ? 
Old  professors,  tall  as  cedars, 

Bright  examples  to  our  youth ! 
Some,  in  whom  we  once  delighted, 

We  shall  meet  no  more  below ; 
Some,  alas !  we  fear  are  blighted. 

Scarce  a  bingle  leaf  they  show. 

4  Younger  plants — the  sight  how  pleasant, 

Cover'd  thick  with  blossoms  stood  ; 
But  they  cause  us  grief  at  present, 

Frosts  have  nipp'd  them  in  the  bud  ! 
Dearest  Saviour,  hasten  hither, 

Thou  canst  make  them  bloom  again  ; 
Oh,  permit  them  not  to  wither, 

Let  not  all  our  hopes  be  vain ! 

5  Let  our  mutual  love  be  fervent, 

Make  us  prevalent  in  pray'rs ; 
Let  each  one,  esteem'd  thy  servant, 

Shun  the  world's  bewitching  snares ; 
Break  the  tempter's  fatal  power, 

Turn  the  stony  heart  to  flesh ; 
And  begin,  from  this  good  hour, 

To  revive  thy  work  afresh. 

LII.     Hofiing  for  a  Revival. 

1  My  harp  untun'd,  and  laid  aside, 

(To  cheerful  hours  the  harp  belongs,) 
My  cruel  foes,  insulting  ery'd, 

"  Come,  sing  us  one  crfZion's  songs.*' 


^IS  Ordinances.  Book  II, 

2  Alas  !  when  sinners,  blindly  bold, 

At  Zion  scoff,  and  Zion's  King ; 
When  zeal  declines  and  love  grows  cold, 
Is  this  a  day  for  me  to  sing  ? 

3  Time  was,  whene'er  the  saints  I  met, 

With  joy  and  praise  my  bosom  glow'd ; 
But  now,  like  Eli,  sad  I  sit. 

And  tremble  for  the  ark  of  God. 

4  While  thus  to  grief  my  soul  gave  way. 

To  see  the  work  of  God  decline  ; 
Methought  I  heard  my  Saviour  say, 
"  Dismiss  thy  fears,  the  ark  is  mine. 

5  "  Though  for  a  time  I  hide  my  face, 

**  Rely  upon  my  love  and  pow'r ; 
"  Still  wrestle  at  a  tlirone  of  grace, 
"  And  wait  for  a  reviving  hour. 

6  ''  Take  down  thy  long  neglected  harp, 

"  I've  seen  thy  tears  and  heard  thy  pray'r 
*'  The  winter  season  has  been  sharp, 
**  But  spring  shall  all  its  wastes  repair." 

7  Lord,  I  obey ;  my  hopes  revive  ; 

Come  join  with  me,  ye  saints,  and  sing ; 
Our  foes  in  vain  against  us  strive. 
For  God  will  help  and  healing  bring. 

SACRAMENTAL  HYMNS. 

LIII.  C.    Welcome  to  the  Tabic. 

1  This  is  the  feast  of  heav'nly  wine, 
And  God  invites  to  sup  : 
The  juices  of  the  living  vine 
Were  press 'd,  to  fill  the  cup. 


Hymn  54  Ordimfices,  519 

2  Oh !  bless  the  Saviour,  ye  that  eat, 

With  royal  dainties  fed ; 
Not  heav'n  affords  a  costlier  treat, 
For  Jesus  is  the  bread. 

3  The  vile,  the  lost,  he  calls  to  them. 

Ye  trembling  souls,  appear ! 
The  righteous  in  tlieir  own  esteem 
Have  no  acceptance  here. 

4  Approach,  ye  poor,  nor  dare  refuse 

The  banquet  spread  for  you : 
Dear  Saviour,  this  is  welcome  news, 
Then  I  may  venture  too. 

5  If  guilt  and  sin  afford  a  plea. 

And  may  obtain  a  place. 
Surely  the  Lord  will  welcome  me, 
And  I  shall  see  his  face. 


LIV.      Christ   crxicijicd. 

1  When  on  the  cross  my  Lord  I  sec, 
Bleeding  to  death  for  wretched  me, 
Satan  and  sin  no  more  can  move, 
For  I  am  all  transform'd  to  love. 

2  His  thorns  and  nails  pierce  thro*  my  heart ; 
In  ev'ry  groan  I  bear  a  part ; 

I  view  his  wounds  wdth  streaming  eyes ; 
But  see  !  he  bows  his  head,  and  dies  ! 

3  Come,  sinners,  view  the  Lamb  of  God, 
Wounded  and  dead,  and  bath'd  in  blood  ! 
Behold  his  side,  and  venture  near, 

The  well  of  endless  life  is  here. 


530  Ordinances,  Book  II. 

4  Here  I  forget  my  cares  and  pains  ; 

I  drink,  yet  still  my  thirst  remains  ; 
Only  the  fountain  head  above 
Can  satisfy  the  thirst  of  love. 

5  Oh,  that  I  thus  could  always  feel ! 
Lord,  more  and  more  thy  love  reveal ! 
Then  my  glad  tongue  shall  loud  proclaim 
The  grace  and  glory  of  thy  name. 

6  Thy  name  dispels  my  guilt  and  fear, 
Revives  my  heart,  and  charms  my  eai' ; 
Affords  a  balm  for  ev'ry  wound. 
And  Satan  trembles  at  the  sound. 


LV.     C.      Jeaus  hasting  to  suffer. 

1  The  Saviour,  what  a  noble  flame 

Was  kindled  in  his  breast, 
When,  hasting  to  Jerusalem, 
He  march'd  before  the  rest ! 

2  Good- will  to  men,  and  zeal  for  God, 

His  ev'ry  thought  engross  ; 
'  He  longs  to  be  baptized  with  blood *^, 
He  pants  to  reach  the  cross. 

3  With  all  his  suiF'rings  full  in  view, 

And  vv^oes  to  us  unknown, 
Forth  to  the  task  his  spirit  flew, 
'Twas  love  that  urg'd  him  on. 

4  Lord,  we  return  the'::  what  we  can ! 

Our  hearts  shall  sound  abroad. 
Salvation,  to  the  dying  Man, 
And  to  the  rising  God ! 
*  Luke  xii.  50. 


Hymn  56.  Ordhiances,  531 

5  And  while  thy  bleeding  glories  here 
Engage  our  wondVing  eyes, 
We  learn  our  lighter  cross  to  bear^ 
And  hasten  to  the  skies. 


LVI.     It  is  good  to  be  here. 

1  Let  me  dwell  on  Golgotha, 
Weep  and  love  my  life  away  ! 
While  I  see  him  on  the  tree, 
Weep,  and  bleed,  and  die  lor  me ! 

2  That  dear  blood,  for  sinners  spilt, 
Shows  my  sin  in  all  its  guilt : 
Ah,  my  soul !  he  bore  thy  load ; 
Thou  hast  slain  the  Lamb  of  God. 

3  Hark  !  his  dying  word,  "  Forgive, 
*'  Father,  let  the  sinner  live ; 

"  Sinner,  wipe  thy  tears  away, 
"  I  thy  ransom  freely  pay.'' 

4  While  I  hear  this  grace  reveal'dj 
And  obtain  a  pardon  seal'd. 

All  my  soft  affections  move, 
Weaken'd  by  the  force  of  love. 

5  Farewell,  world,  thy  gold  is  dross, 
Now  I  see  the  bleeding  cross  ; 
Jesus  dy'd  to  set  me  free 

From  the  law,  and  sin,  and  thee ! 

6  He  has  dearly  bought  my  soul ; 
Lord,  accept,  and  claim  the  whole  ; 
To  thy  will  I  all  resign. 

Now  no  more  my  own  but  thine. 
Vol.  IIL  3  X 


b22  Ord'mances.  Book  II. 


LVII.  Looking  at  the  Cross. 

1  In  evil  long  I  took  delight, 

UnaA\''d  by  shame  or  fear, 
Till  a  new  object  struck  my  sight, 
And  stopp'd  my  wild  cai'eer. 

2  I  saw  one  hanging  on  a  tree, 

In  a  onies  and  biood, 
Who  fix'd  has  languid  eyes  on  me. 
As  near  his  cross  1  stood. 

3  Sure,  never  till  my  latest  breath 

Can  1  forget  that  look  ; 
It  seem'd  to  charge  me  with  his  death, 
Though  not  a  word  he  sjDoke. 

4  My  conscience  felt,  and  own'd  the  guilt., 

And  plung'd  me  in  despair  ; 

I  saw  my  sins  his  blood  iiud  spilt, 

And  heip'd  to  nail  him  there. 

5  Alas  !  I  knew  not  what  I  did ; 

But  now  my  tears  are  v.an  ; 
Where  shall  my  trembling  soul  be  hid  ? 
For  I  the  Lord  have  slain. 

6  A  second  look  he  gave,  which  said, 

"  I  freely  all  forgive  :     ' 
''  This  blood  is  for  thy  ransom  paid, 
"  1  die,  that  thou  mayst  live." 

7  Thus,  while  his  death  my  sin  displays 

In  ail  its  blackest  hue, 
(Si.ch  is  the  mystery  of  grace,) 
It  seals  my  pardon  too. 


Hymn  58.  Ordinances.  533 

8  With  pleasing  grief  and  moamful  joy 
My  s|  irit  now  is  fiU'd, 
That  I  should  such  a  life  destroy, 
Yet  live  by  him  I  kill'd. 


LVIII.     Su/ifilies  in  the  Wilderness. 

1  Wh  e  n  Israel,  by  divine  command, 

The  pathless  desert  trod. 
They  found,  though  'twas  a  barren  land, 
A  sure  resource  in  God. 

2  A  cloudy  pillar  mark'd  their  road, 

And  screen'd  them  from  the  heat ; 
From  the  hard  rocks  the  water  flow'd, 
And  manna  was  their  meat. 

3  Like  them,  we  have  a  rest  in  view, 

Secure  from  adverse  pow'rs : 
Like  them  we  pass  the  desert  too, 
But  Israel's  God  is  ours. 

4  Yes,  in  this  barren  wilderness 

He  is  to  us  the  same, 
By  his  appointed  means  of  grace, 
As  once  he  was  to  them. 

5  His  word  a  light  before  us  spreads, 

By  which  our  path  we  see ; 
His  love  a  banner  o'er  our  heads, 
From  harm  preserves  us  free. 

6  Jesus,  the  bread  of  life,  is  giv'n 

To  be  our  daily  food  ; 
We  drink  a  wondrous  stream  from  heav'n, 
'Tis  water,  wine,  and  blood. 


534  Ordinances.  Book  li. 

7  Lord,  'tis  enough,  I  ask  no  more, 
These  blessings  are  divine ; 
I  envy  not  the  worldling's  store, 
If  Christ  and  heav'n  are  mine. 


LIX.     Communion  with  the  Saints  in  Glory, 

1  Refreshed  by  the  bread  and  wine. 

The  pledges  of  our  Saviour's  love  ; 
Now  let  our  hearts  and  voices  join 
In  songs  of  praise  with  those  above. 

2  Do  they  sing,  *'  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  ?'' 

Altho'  we  cannot  reach  their  strains. 
Yet  we,  through  grace,  caii  sing  the  same, 
For  us  he  dy'd,  for  us  he  reigns. 

3  If  they  behold  him  face  to  face, 

While  we  a  glimpse  can  only  see ; 
Yet  equal  debtors  to  his  grace, 
As  safe  and  as  belov'd  are  we. 

4  They  had,  like  us,  a  suff 'ring  time, 

Our  cares,  and  fears,  and  griefs  they  knew ; 
But  they  have  conquer'd  all  through  him. 
And  we  ere  long  shall  conquer  too. 

5  Though  all  the  songs  of  saints  in  light 

Are  far  beneath  his  matchless  worth, 
His  grace  is  such,  he  Avill  not  slight 
The  poor  attempts  of  worms  on  earth, 


Hymn  60.  Ordinances.  52!^ 

ON  PRAYER. 

LX.     C.     Exhortation  to  Prayer. 

\  What  various  hindrances  we  meet 
In  coming  to  a  mercy  seat ! 
Yet  who  that  knows  the  worth  of  pray'r, 
But  wishes  to  be  often  there. 

2  Pray'r  makes  the  dark'ned  cloud  withdraw, 
Pray*r  climbs  the  ladder  Jacob  saw, 
Gives  exercise  to  faith  and  love, 

Brings  ev'ry  blessing  from  above. 

3  Restraining  pray'r,  we  cease  to  fight ; 
Pray'r  makes  the  Christian's  armour  bright; 
And  Satan  trembles  when  he  sees 

The  weakest  sainfupon  his  knees. 

4  While  Moses  stood  with  arms  spread  wide, 
Success  was  found  on  Israel's  side  ; 

But  when  through  weariness  they  fail'd, 
That  moment  Amalek  prevail'd*. 

5  Have  you  no  v/ords  ?  ah !  think  again, 
Words  flow  apace  when  you  complain, 
And  fill  your  fellow  creature's  ear 
With  the  sad  tale  of  all  your  care. 

6  Were  half  the  breath  thus  vainly  spent, 
To  heav'n  in  supplication  sent, 

Your  cheerful  song  would  oft'ner  be, 
"  Hear  what  the  Lord  has  done  for  mc.' 
*  Exodus  xvii.  1 J . 


426  Ordinances.  Book  II. 

LXI.     Power  of  Prayer. 

1  In  themselves,  as  weak  as  worms, 

How  can  poor  believers  stand, 
When  temptations,  foes,  and  storms. 
Press  them  close  on  ev'ry  hand  ? 

2  Weak,  indeed,  they  feel  they  are. 

But  they  know  the  throne  of  grace ; 
And  the  God  who  answers  pray'r 
Helps  them  when  they  seek  his  face. 

3  Though  the  Lord  a  while  delay. 

Succour  they  at  length  obtain  ; 

He  who  taught  their  hearts  to  pray. 

Will  not  let  them  cry  in  vain. 

4  Wrestling  pray'r  can  Monders  do, 

Biing  relief  in  deepest  straits  ; 
Pray'r  can  force  a  passage  through 
Iron  bars  and  brazen  gates. 

5  Hezekiah  on  his  knees 

Proud  Assyria's  host  subdu'd  ; 
And  when  smitten  with  disease, 
Had  his  life  by  pray'r  rencw'd. 

6  Peter,  though  confin'd  and  chain'd, 

Pray'r  prevail'd  imd  brought  him  out ; 
When  Elijah  pray'd,  it  rain'd. 
After  three  long  years  of  drought. 

7  We  can  likewise  witness  bear, 

That  the  Lord  is  still  the  same ; 
Though  we  fear'd  he  would  not  hear, 
Suddenly  deiivet ance  came. 


Hymn  62.  Ordinanees:.  S^ 

8  For  the  wonders  he  has  wrought, 
Let  us  now  our  praises  give  ; 
Ajid  by  sweet  experience  taught, 
Call  upon  him  while  we  live. 

ON  THE  SCRIPTURE. 

LXII.     C.      The  Light  and  Glory  of  the  Word. 

1  Th  E  Spirit  breathes  upon  the  word, 

And  brings  the  truth  to  sight ; 
Precepts  and  promises  afford 
A  sanctifying  light. 

2  A  glory  gilds  the  sacred  page. 

Majestic  like  the  sun  ; 
It  gives  a  light  to  ev'ry  age. 
It  gives,  but  borrows  none. 

'3  The  hand  that  gave  it  still  supplies 
The  gracious  light  and  heat ; 
His  truths  upon  the  nations  rise, 
They  rise  but  never  set. 

4  Let  everlasting  thanks  be  thine, 

For  such  a  bright  display,     '^ 
A   makes  a  world  of  darkness  shine 
With  beams  of  heav'nly  day. 

5  My  soul  rejoices  to  pursue 

The  steps  of  him  I  love  ; 
Till  glory  breaks  upon  my  view 
In  brighter  worlds  above. 


Ordinances.  Book  II. 

LXIII.     The  JVord  more  Jirecious  than  Gold. 

1  Precious  Bible!  what  a  treasure 

Does  the  word  of  God  afford ! 
All  I  want  for  life  or  pleasure, 

Food  &  Med'cine,  Shield  &  Sword: 
Let  the  world  account  me  poor, 
Having  this  I  need  no  more. 

2  Food  to  which  the  world's  a  stranger. 

Here  my  hungry  soul  enjoys ; 
Of  excess  there  is  no  danger, 

Though  it  fills,  it  never  cloys  : 
On  a  dying  Christ  I  feed, 
He  is  meat  and  drink  indeed ! 

3  When  my  faith  is  faint  and  sickly, 

Or  when  Satan  wounds  my  mind. 
Cordials  to  revive  me  quickly, 

Healing  Med'cines  here  I  find ; 
To  the  promises  I  flee, 
Each  aftbrds  a  remedy. 

i  In  the  hour  of  dark  temptation 

Satan  cannot  make  me  yield ; 
For  the  word  of  consolation 

Is  to  me  a  mia'htv  Shield  : 
While  the  Scripture-truths  are  sure, 
From  his  malice  I'm  secure. 

5  Vain  his  threats  to  overcome  me, 

^Vh- jn  I  take  the  Spirit's  sword  ; 
Then  with  ease  I  drive  him  from  me, 

Sa'an  trembles  at  the  word : 
'T:s  a  Sword  for  conquest  made, 
Keen  the  edge,  and  strong  the  blade. 


Hymn  G4.  Providences.  629 

6  Shall  I  envy  then  the  miser, 

Doating  on  his  golden  store  ? 
Sure  I  am,  or  should  be  wiser, 

I  am  rich,  'tis  he  is  poor : 
Jesus  gives  me  in  his  word. 
Food  and  Med'cine,  Shield  andSwoR©. 


III.  PROVIDENCES. 

LXIV.     On  the  Commencement  of  Hostilities  irt 
America. 

1  The  gathVing  clouds,  with  aspect  dark, 

A  rising  storm  presage  ; 
Oh !  to  be  hid  within  the  ark. 
And  shelter'd  from  its  rage ! 

2  See  the  commission'd  angel  frown*  ! 

That  vial  in  his  hand, 
Fill'd  with  fierce  ^vrath,  is  pouring  down 
Upon  our  guilty  land ! 

3  Ye  saints,  unite  in  wrestling  pray*r, 

If  yet  there  may  be  hope ; 
Who  knows  but  mercy  yet  may  spare. 
And  bid  the  angel  stopf  ? 

4  Already  is  the  plague  begun  |, 

And  fir'd  with  hostile  rage, 
Brethren,  by  blood,  and  int'rest  one. 
With  brethren  now  engage. 

5  Peace  spreads  her  wings,  prepared  for  flight. 

And  war,  with  flaming  sword. 
And  hasty  strides,  draws  nigh,  to  fight 
The  battles  of  the  Lord. 
•  Rev.  xvi.  1.     t  2  Sam.  xxiv.  16.     \  Num.  xyi.  46. 

Vol.  III.  3  Y 


530  Providences.  Book  II. 

6  The  first  alarm,  alas !  how  few, 

While  distant,  seem  to  hear ! 
But  they  will  hear,  and  tremble  too, 
When  God  shall  send  it  near. 

7  So  thunder  o'er  the  distant  hills 

Gives  but  a  murm'ring  sound ; 
But  as  the  tempest  spreads,  it  fills 
And  shakes  the  welkin*  round. 

8  May  we,  at  least,  with  one  consent, 

Fall  low  before  the  throne ; 
With  tears  the  nation's  sins  lament, 
The  church's,  and  our  own. 

9  The  humble  souls  who  mourn  and  pray,  ^ 

The  Lord  approves  and  knows ; 
His  mark  secures  them  in  the  day 
When  vengeance  strikes  his  foes, 

FAST-DAY  HYMNS. 

LXV.     Confession  and  Prayer.    Dec.  13,  1776. 

1  Oh  !  may  the  pow'r  which  melts  the  rock 

Be  felt  by  all  assembled  here  ! 
Or  else  our  service  will  but  mock 
The  God  whom  we  profess  to  fear. 

2  Lord,  while  thy  judgments  shake  the  land, 

Thy  people's  eyes  are  fix'd  on  thee  ! 
We  own  thy  just  uplifted  hand, 

W^hich  thousands  cannot,  will  not  see. 

3  How  long  hast  thou  bestow'd  thy  care 

On  this  indulg'd,  ungrateful  spot ; 
While  other  nations,  far  and  near, 
Have  envied  and  admir'd  our  lot. 

*  Firmament,  or  Atmosphere. 


Hymn  66.  Providences,  631 

4  Here  peace  and  liberty  have  dwelt, 

The  glorious  Gospel  brightly  shone  ; 
And  oft  our  enemies  have  felt 

That  God  has  made  our  cause  his  own. 

5  But,  ah !  both  heav'n  and  earth  have  heard 

Our  vile  requital  of  his  love  ! 
We,  whom  like  children  he  has  rear'd, 
Rebels  against  his  goodness  prove*. 

6  His  grace  despis'd,  his  pow'r  defy'd, 

And  legions  of  the  blackest  crimes, 
Profaneness,  riot,  lust,  and  pride, 

Are  signs  that  mark  the  present  times. 

7  The  Lord,  displeas'd,  has  rais'd  his  rod  ; 

Ah !  where  are  now  the  faithful  few 
Who  tremble  for  the  ark  of  God, 

And  know  what  Israel  ought  to  dof  ? 

8  Lord,  hear  thy  people  ev'ry  where, 

Who  meet  to  mourn,  confess,  and  pray ; 
The  nation  and  thy  churches  spare, 
And  let  thy  wrath  be  turn'd  away. 

LXVI.     Moses  and  Amalek\.     Feb.  27,   1778. 

1  While  Joshua  led  the  armed  bands 

Of  Israel  forth  to  war  ; 
Moses  apart,  with  lifted  hands, 
Engag'd  in  humble  pray'r. 

2  The  armed  bands  had  quickly  fail'd, 

And  perish'd  in  the  fight. 
If  Moses'  pray'r  had  n  ot  prevail' 
To  put  the  foes  to  flight. 
*  Isa.  i.  2.      t  1  Chron.  xii.  32.       |  Exod.  xvii.  9. 


5$'S  Providences,  Book  II. 

3  When  Moses'  hands   through  weakness 

The  warriors  fainted  too ;  [dropp'd, 

Israel's  success  at  once  was  stopp'd, 
And  Am'lek  bolder  grew. 

4  A  people,  always  prone  to  boast, 

Were  taught  by  this  suspense, 
That  not  a  num'rous  armed  host, 
But  God  was  their  defence. 

5  We  now  of  fleets  and  armies  vaunt, 

And  ships  and  men  prepare ; 
But  men  like  Moses  most  we  want, 
To  save  the  state  by  pray'r. 

6  Yet,  Lord,  we  hope  thou  hast  prepar'd 

A  hidden  few  to-day, 
(The  nation's  secret  strength  and  guard,) 
To  weep,  and  mourn,  and  pray. 

7  O  hear  their  pray'rs,  and  grant  us  aid, 

Bid  war  and  discord  cease ; 
Heal  the  sad  breach  which  sin  has  made, 
And  bless  us  all  with  peace. 


LXVII.     The  Hiding  Place.     Feb.   10,  177,9. 

See  the  gloomy  gath'ring cloud, 

Hanging  o'er  a  sinful  land ! 
Sure  the  Lord  proclai.ns  aloud, 

Times  of  trouble  are  at  hand  : 
Happy  they  who  love  his  name ! 

They  shall  always  find  him  near ; 
Though  the  earth  were  \vrapp'd  in  flame, 

They  have  no  just  cause  for  fear. 


Hymn  68.  Providences^  533 

2  Hark,  his  voice  in  accents  mild, 

(Oh,  how  comforting  and  sweet!) 
Speaks  to  every  humble  child. 

Pointing  out  a  sure  retreat ! 
"  Come,  and  in  my  chambers  hide^, 

"  To  my  saints  of  old  well  known ; 
*'  There  you  safely  may  abide, 

"  Till  the  storm  be  overblown. 

3  "  You  have  only  to  repose 

"  On  my  wisdom,  love,  and  care  ; 
"  When  my  wrath  consumes  my  foes, 

"  Mercy  shall  my  children  spare ; 
"  While  they  perish  in  the  flood, 

*'  You  that  bear  my  holy  markf , 
"  Sprinkled  with  atoning  blood, 

"  Shall  be  safe  within  the  ark." 

4  Sinners,  see  the  ark  prepared  ! 

Haste  to  enter  while  there's  room  ; 
Though  the  Lord  his  arm  has  bar*d, 

Mercy  still  retards  your  doom : 
Seek  him  while  there  yet  is  hope, 

Ere  the  day  of  grace  be  past, 
Lest  in  wrath  he  give  you  up, 

And  this  call  should  prove  your  last. 


IjXVIII.     On  the  Earthquake,     Sept.  8,   1775. 

1  Although  on  massy  pillars  built,  'S^ 

The  earth  has  lately  shook ; 
It  trembles  under  Britain's  guilt. 
Before  its  Maker's  look. 
♦  Isa.  xx^i.  20.  t  Ezek.  ix.  4. 


534  Providences.  Book  II. 

2  Swift  as  the  shock  amazement  spreads, 
And  sinners  tremble  too ; 
What  flight  can  screen  their  guilty  heads, 
If  earth  itself  pursue  ? 

5  But  mercy  spar'd  us  while  it  warn'd, 
The  shock  is  felt  no  more  ; 
And  mercy,  now,  alas  !  is  scom'd 
By  sinners,  as  before. 

4  But  if  these  warnings  prove  in  vain, 

Say,  sinner,  canst  thou  tell, 
How  soon  the  earth  may  quake  again, 
And  open  wide  to  hell. 

5  Repent  before  the  Judge  draws  nigh  ; 

Or  else  when  he  comes  down. 
Thou  wilt  in  vain  for  earthquakes  cryy 
To  hide  thee  from  his  frown*. 

6  But  happy  they  who  love  the  Lord, 

And  his  salvation  know ; 
The  hope  that's  founded  on  his  word, 
No  change  can  overthrow. 

7  Should  the  deep-rooted  hills  be  hurl'd, 

And  plung'd  beneath  the  seas. 
And  strong  convulsions  shake  the  world. 
Your  hearts  may  rest  in  peace. 

8  Jesus,  your  Shepherd,  Lord,  and  Chief, 

Shall  shelter  you  from  ill ; 

And  not  a  worm  or  shaking  leaf 

Can  move,  but  at  his  will. 

*  Rev.  vi.  16. 


IlymQ  69.  Provuknccs.  535 


LXIX.     On  the  Fire  at  Olney.     Sept.  22,  1777. 

1  Wearied  by  day  with  toil  and  cares, 

How  welcome  is  the  peaceful  night ! 
Sweet  sleep  our  wasted  strength  repairs, 
And  fits  us  for  returning  light. 

2  Yet  when  our  eyes  in  sleep  are  clos'd. 

Our  rest  may  break  ere  well  begun  ; 
To  dangers  ev'ry  hour  expos'd, 
We  neither  can  foresee  nor  shun. 

3  'Tis  of  the  Lord  that  we  can  sleep 

A  single  night  without  alanns  ; 
His  eye  alone  our  lives  can  keep 
Secure  amidst  a  thousand  harms. 

4  For  months  and  years  of  safety  past 

Ungrateful  we,  alas  !  have  been  ; 
Though,  patient  long,  he  spoke  at  last. 
And  bid  the  fire  rebuke  our  sin. 

5  The  shout  of  fire  !  a  dreadful  cry, 

Impress'd  each  heart  with  deep  dismay ; 
While  the  fierce  blaze  and  redd'ning  sky 
Made  midnight  wear  the  face  of  day. 

G  The  throng  and  terror  who  can  speak  ? 
The  various  sounds  that  fill'd  the  air ! 
The  infant's  wail,  the  mother's  shriek. 


The  voice  of  blasphemy  and  pray'r 


7  But  prayV  prevail'd  and  sav'd  the  town  ; 
The  few  who  lov'd  the  Saviour's  name 
Were  heard,  and  mercy  hasted  down. 
To  change  the  wind,  and  stop  the  flame. 


536  ProvidcfKes,  Book  jj, 

8  Oh,  may  that  night  be  ne'er  forgot ! 
Lord,  still  increase  thy  praying  few  ! 
Were  Ohiey  left  without  a  l^ot, 
tluin  like  Sodom's  would  ensue. 


LXX.     ^  Welcome  to  Christian  Friendi. 

1  Kindred  in  Christ,  for  his  dear  sake, 

A  hearty  welcome  here  receive  ; 
May  we  together  now  partake, 
The  joys  which  only  he  can  give ! 

2  To  you  and  us  by  grace  'tis  giv'n 

To  know  the  Saviour's  precious  name  ; 
And  shortly  we  shall  meet  in  heav'n. 
Our  hope,  our  way,  our  end,  the  same. 

3  May  he,  by  whose  kind  care  we  meet, 

Send  his  good  Spirit  from  above, 
Make  our  communications  sweet. 

And  cause  our  hearts  to  bum  with  love  ! 

4  Forgotten  be  each  worldly  theme, 

When  Christians  see  each  other  thus  ; 
We  only  wish  to  speak  of  him. 

Who  liv'd,  and  dy'd,  and  reigns  for  us. 

5  We'll  talk  of  all  he  did  and  said, 

And  sufter'd  for  us  here  below ; 
The  path  he  mark'd  for  us  to  tread. 
And  what  he's  doing  for  us  now. 

6  Thus,  as  the  moments  pass  away. 

We'll  love,  and  wonder,  and  adore ; 
And  hasten  on  the  glorious  day. 

When  we  shall  meet  to  part  no  more. 


Hymn  7K  Frovidences,  387 


LXXI.       M  Parting. 

1  As  the  sun's  enliv'ning  eye 

Shines  on  ev'ry  place  the  same ; 
So  the  Lord  is  alwaj  s  nigh 

To  the  souls  that  love  his  name. 

2  When  they  move  at  duty's  call, 

He  is  with  them  by  the  way ; 
He  is  ever  with  them  all, 

Those  who  go,  and  those  who  stay. 

3  From  his  holy  mercy- seat 

Nothing  can  their  souls  confine ; 
Still  in  spirit  they  may  meet, 
And  in  sweet  communion  join. 

4  For  a  season  call'd  to  part, 

Let  us  then  ourselves  commend 
To  the  gracious  eye  and  heart 
Of  our  ever-present  Friend. 

5  Jesus,  hear  our  humble  pray'r  ! 

Tender  Shepherd  of  thy  sheep ! 
Let  thy  mercy  and  thy  care 
All  our  souls  in  safety  keep. 

6  In  thy  strength  may  we  be  strong, 

Sweeten  ev'ry  cross  and  pain  ; 
Give  us,  if  we  live,  ere  long. 
Here  to  meet  in  peace  again. 

7  Then,  if  thou  thy  help  afford, 

Ebenezers  shall  be  rear'd ; 
And  our  souls  shall  praise  the  Lord, 

Who  our  poor  petitions  heard. 
V^-,  III.  3  Z 


Providences.  Book  II. 

FUNERAL  HYMNS. 

LXXII.     On  the  Death  of  a  Believer. 

1  In  vain  my  fancy  strives  to  paint 

The  moment  after  death, 
The  glories  that  surround  the  saints, 
When  yielding  up  their  breath. 

2  One  gentle  sigh  their  fetters  breaks ; 

We  scarce  can  say,  "  They're  gone !" 
Before  the  willing  spirit  takes 
Her  mansion  near  the  throne. 

3  Faith  strives,  but  all  its  efforts  fail, 

To  trace  her  in  her  flight : 
No  eye  can  pierce  within  the  vail 
Which  hides  that  world  of  light. 

4  Thus  much,  (and  this  is  all,)  we  know, 

They  are  completely  blest ; 
Have  done  with  sin,  and  care,  and  wo, 
And  with  their  Saviour  rest. 

5  On  harps  of  gold  they  praise  his  name, 

His  face  they  always  view  : 
Then  let  us  follow'rs  be  of  them, 
That  we  may  praise  him  too. 

6  Their  faith  and  patience,  love  and  zeal, 

Should  make  their  mem'ry  dear ; 
And,  Lord,  do  thou  the  pray'rs  fulfil 
They  offer'd  for  us  here  I 

7  While  they  have  gain'd,  we  losers  arc.. 

We  miss  them  day  by  day  ; 
But  thou  canst  ev'ry  breach  repair. 
And  wipe  our  tears  away. 


Hymn  74.  Providences.  59^ 

8  We  pray,  as  in  Elisha's  case, 
When  great  Elijah  went, 
May  double  portions  of  thy  grace, 
To  us  who  stay,  be  sent. 

LXXIII.     C.     On  the  Death  of  a  Miniater. 

1  His  master  taken  from  his  head, 

Elisha  saw  him  go  ; 
And,  in  desponding  accents  said, 
*'  Ah,  what  must  Israel  do !" 

2  But  he  forgot  the  Lord  who  lifts 

The  beggar  to  the  throne ; 
Nor  knew  that  all  Elijah's  gifts 
Will  soon  be  made  his  own. 

3  What !  when  a  Paul  has  run  his  course  ; 

Or  when  Apollos  dies. 
Is  Israel  left  without  resource. 
And  have  we  no  supplies  ? 

4  Yes,  while  the  dear  Redeemer  lives, 

We  ha^'e  a  boundless  store. 
And  shall  be  fed  with  what  he  gives, 
Who  lives  for  evermore. 

LXXIV.     The  tolling  Bell. 

1  Oft  as  the  bell,  with  solemn  toll, 
Speaks  the  departure  of  a  soul, 
Let  each  one  ask  himself,  "  Am  I 

"  Prepar'd,  should  I  be  call'd,  to  die  V 

2  Only  this  frail  and  fleeting  breath 
Preser\  es  me  from  the  jaws  of  death  ; 
Soon  as  it  fails,  at  once  I'm  gone. 
And  plung'd  into  a  world  unknown. 


4ib  Providences.  Book  U. 

3  Then  leaving  all  I  lov'd  below, 
To  God's  tribunal  I  must  go  ; 

Must  hear  the  Judge  pronounce  my  fate^ 
And  fix  my  everlasting  state. 

4  But  could  I  bear  to  hear  him  say, 
*'  Depart,  accursed,  far  away  I 

"  With  Satan,  in  the  lowest  hell, 

"  Thou  art  for  ever  doom'd  to  dwell.*' 

5  Lord  Jesus,  help  me  now  to  flee, 
And  seek  my  hope  alone  in  thee ; 
Apply  thy  blood,  thy  Spirit  give, 
Subdue  my  sin,  and  let  me  live. 

6  Then,  when  the  solemn  bell  I  hear-. 
If  sav'd  from  guilt,  I  need  not  fear  ; 
Nor  would  the  thought  distressing  be. 
Perhaps  it  next  may  toll  for  me. 

7  Rather,  my  spirit  would  rejoice. 

And  long,  and  wish,  to  hear  thy  voice  ; 
Glad  when  it  bids  me  earth  resign, 
Secure  of  heav'n,  if  thou  art  mine. 


LXXV.     Hofie  beyond  the  Grave. 

1  My  soul,  this  curious  house  of  clay, 

Thy  present  frail  abode. 
Must  quickly  fall  to  worms  a  prey, 
And  thou  return  to  God. 

2  Canst  thou,  by  faith,  survey  with  joy 

The  change  before  it  come  ? 
And  say,  "  Let  death  this  house  destroy 
"  I  have  a  heav'nly  home  !" 


Hymn  76.  Providences,  541 

3  The  Saviour,  whom  I  then  shall  see 

With  new  admiring  eyes, 
Already  has  prepar'd  for  me. 
A  mansion  in  the  skies*. 

4  I  feel  this  mud-wall'd  cottage  shake, 

And  long  to  see  it  fall ; 
That  I  my  willing  flight  may  take 
To  him  who  is  my  all. 

5  Burden'd  and  groaning  then  no  more, 

My  rescu'd  soul  shall  sing, 
As  up  the  shining  path  I  soar, 

"  Death,  thou  hast  lost  thy  sting." 

6  Dear  Saviour,  help  us  now  to  seek, 

And  know  thy  grace's  pow'r ; 
That  we  may  all  this  language  speak, 
Before  the  dying  hour. 


LXXVI.     There  the  Weary  are  at  Rest. 

1  Courage,  my  soul !  behold  the  prize 

The  Saviour's  love  provides ; 
Eternal  life  beyond  the  skies 
For  all  whom  here  he  guides. 

2  The  wicked  cease  from  troubling  there. 

The  weary  are  at  restf  ; 
Sorrow,  and  sin,  and  pain,  and  care. 
No  more  approach  the  blest. 

3  A  wicked  world,  and  wicked  heart, 

With  Satan  now  are  join'd ; 
Each  acts  a  too  successful  part 
In  harassing  my  mind. 

*  2  Cor.  V.  1.  t  Jobiii.  17. 


54i2  Providences.  Book  11. 

4  In  conflict  with  this  threefold  troop 

How  Aveary,  Lord,  am  I ! 
Did  not  tliy  promise  bear  me  up, 
My  soul  must  faint  and  die. 

5  But  fighting  in  my  Saviour's  strength, 

Though  mighty  are  my  foes, 
I  shall  a  conqu'ror  be  at  length 
O'er  all  that  can  oppose. 

6  Then  why  my  soul,  complain  or  fear  ? 

The  crown  of  glory  see  ! 
The  more  I  toil  and  suffer  here, 
The  sweeter  rest  will  be. 

LXXVII.      The  Day  of  Judgment. 

1  Dav  of  judgment,  day  of  wonders! 

Hark !  the  trumj^et's  awful  sound, 
Louder  than  a  thousand  thunders, 

Shakes  the  x^st  creation  round !  [found! 
How  the  summons  will  the  sinner's  heart  con- 

2  See  the  Judge,  our  nature  wearing, 

Cloth'd  in  majesty  divine ! 
You  who  long  for  his  appearing, 

Then  shall  say,  "  This  God  is  mine  !" 
Gracious*  Saviour,  own  me  in  that  day  for  thine  I 

3  At  his  call,  the  dead  awaken, 

Rise  to  life  from  earth  and  sea  ; 
All  the  pow'rs  of  nature  shaken 
By  his  looks  prepare  to  flee : 
Careless  sinner,  what  will  then  become  of  tliee? 

4  Horrors  past  imagination 

Will  surprise  your  trembling  heart, 
When  you  hear  your  condemnation, 
"  Hence,  accursed  MTCtch,  depart ! 
* '  Thou  withSatan  and  his  angels  have  thy  part ! ' ' 


Hymn  78.  Frovidences,  543 

5  Satan,  who  now  tries  to  please  you, 

Lest  you  timely  warning  take, 
When  that  word  is  past,  will  seize  you, 
Plunge  you  in  the  burning  lake  : 
Think,  poor  sinner,  thy  eternal  all's  at  stake. 

6  But  to  those  who  have  confessed, 

Lov'd  and  serv'd  the  Lord  below, 
He  will  say,  "  Come  near,  ye  blessed, 
"  See  the  kingdom  I  bestow ; 
"  You  for  ever  shall  my  love  and  glory  know." 

7  Under  sorrows  and  reproaches. 

May  this  thought  your  courage  raise  ; 
Swiftly  God's  great  day  approaches, 
Sighs  shall  then  be  chang'd  to  praise  : 
We  shall  triumph  when  the  world  is  in  a  blaze. 


LXXVIII.     The  Day  of  the  Lord*. 

1  Go  D  with  one  piercing  glance  looks  through 

Creation's  wide-extended  frame ; 
The  past  and  future  in  his  view. 
And  days  and  ages,  are  the  samef. 

2  Sinners  who  dare  provoke  his  face, 

Who  on  his  patience  long  presume, 
And  trifle  out  his  day  of  grace, 
Will  find  he  has  a  day  of  doom. 

3  As  pangs  the  lab 'ring  woman  feels, 

Or  as  the  thief,  in  midnight-sleep ! 
So  comes  that  day,  for  which  the  wheels 

Of  time  their  ceaseless  motion  keep  ! 
*  Book  iii.  Hymn  i.  t  2  Pet.  iii.  8 — 10 


*44  Prmdencea.  Book  II. 

4  Hark !  from  the  sky,  the  trump  proclaims 

Jesus  the  Judge  approaching  nigh  ! 
See,  the  creation  wrapt  in  flames. 
First  kindled  by  his  vengeful  eye ! 

5  When  thus  the  mountains  melt  like  wax  ; 

When  earth,  and  air,  and  sea  shall  bum ; 
When  all  the  frame  of  nature  breaks. 
Poor  sinner,  whither  wilt  thou  turn  ? 

6  The  puny  works  which  feeble  men 

Now  boast,  or  covet,  or  admire  ; 
Their  pomp,  and  arts,  and  treasures,  then 
Shall  perish  in  one  common  fire, 

7  Lord,  fix  our  hearts  and  hopes  above ! 

Since  all  below  to  ruin  tends  ; 
Here  may  we  trust,  obey  and  love. 

And  there  be  found  amongst  thy  friends- 


LXXXIX.     The  great  Tribunal*, 

1  John,  in  a  vision,  saw  the  day 

When  the  Judge  will  hasten  down 
Heav'n  and  earth  shall  flee  away 

From  the  terror  of  his  frown  : 
Dead  and  living,  small  and  great, 

Raised  from  the  earth  and  sea, 
At  his  bar  shall  hear  their  fate. 

What  will  then  become  of  me  ? 

2  Can  I  bear  his  awful  looks  ? 

Shall  I  stand  in  judgment  then, 
When  I  see  the  open'd  books, 
Written  by  th'  Almighty's  pen  ? 
*  Rev.  XX.  11,  12. 


Hyniii  79.  Providences.  *^^ 

If  he  to  remembrance  bring, 

And  expose  to  public  view, 
Ev'ry  work  and  secret  thing, 

Ah,  my  soul,  what  canst  thou  do  ? 

3  When  the  list  shall  be  produc'd 

Of  the  talents  I  enjoy 'd ; 
Means  and  mercies,  how  abus'd ! 

Time  and  strength,  how  misemployed ! 
Conscience  then,  compelled  to  read, 

Must  allow  the  charge  is  true  ; 
Say,  my  soul,  what  canst  thou  plead 

In  that  hour,  what  wilt  thou  do  ? 

4  But  the  book  of  life  I  see, 

May  my  name  be  written  there  ! 
Then  froln  guilt  and  danger  free, 

Glad  I'll  meet  him  in  the  air : 
That's  the  book  I  hope  to  plead, 

'Tis  the  Gospel  open'd  wide ; 
Lord,  I  am  a  wretch  indeed ! 

I  have  sinn'd,  but  thou  hast  dy'd*. 

5  Now  my  soul  knows  what  to  do ; 

Thus  I  shall  with  boldness  stand, 
Number'd  with  the  faithful  few, 

Own'd  and  sav'd,  at  thy  right  hand  : 
If  thou  help  a  feeble  worm 

To  believe  thy  promise  now, 
Justice  will  at  last  confirm 

What  thy  mercy  wrought  below, 

*  Rom.  viii.  34. 


Vol.  hi.  4  A 


54€  Creation.  Book  II. 


IV.  CREATION. 

LXXXI.      The  Old  and  JVew  Creation. 

1  That  was  a  wonder-working  word 

AVhich  could  the  vast  creation  raise  ! 
Angels,  attendant  on  their  Lord, 

Admir'd  the  plan,  and  sung  his  praise*. 

2  From  what  a  dark  and  shapeless  mass, 

All  nature  sprang  at  his  command  ! 
Let  there  be  light,  and  light  there  was. 
And  sun,  and  stars,  and  sea,  and  land. 

3  With  equal  speed  the  earth  and  seas 

Their  mighty  Maker's  voice  obey'd ; 
He  spake,  and  straight  the  plants  and  trees, 
And  birds,  and  beasts,  and  man  were  made. 

4  But  man,  the  Lord  and  crown  of  all, 

By  sin  his  honour  soon  defac'd  ; 
His  heart,  (how  alter 'd  since  the  fall !) 
Is  dark,  deform*d,  and  void,  and  waste. 

5  The  new  creation  of  the  soul 

Does  now  no  less  his  pow'r  display. 
Than  when  he  form'd  the  mighty  whole, 
And  kindled  darkness  into  dayf. 

6  Though  self-destroy'd,  O  Lord,  we  arc. 

Yet  let  us  feel  what  thou  canst  do ; 
Thy  word  the  ruin  can  repair. 
And  all  our  hearts  create  anew. 
*  Job  xxxviii.  7.  f  2  Cer.  iv.  6 


Hymn  81.  Oreation.  MT 


LXXXI.   The  Book  of  Creation. 

1  The  book  of  nature  open  lies, 

With  much  instruction  stor'd  ; 
But,  till  the  Lord  anoints  our  eyes, 
We  cannot  read  a  word. 

2  Philosophers  have  por'd  in  vain, 

And  guess'd  from  age  to  age  ; 
For  reason's  eye  could  ne'er  attain 
To  understand  a  page. 

3  Though  to  each  star  they  give  a  name, 

Its  size  and  motions  teach  ; 
The  truths  which  all  the  stars  proclaim 
Their  wisdom  cannot  reach. 

4  With  skill  to  measure  earth  and  sea, 

And  weigh  the  subtle  air ; 
They  cannot.  Lord,  discover  thee. 
Though  present  ev'ry  where. 

5  The  knowledge  of  the  saints  excels 

The  wisdom  of  the  schools ; 
To  them  his  secrets  God  reveals, 
Though  men  account  them  fools. 

6  To  them  the  sun  and  stars  on  high. 

The  flow'rs  that  paint  the  field. 
And  all  the  artless  birds  that  fly, 
Divine  instruction  yield*. 

7  The  creatures  on  their  senses  press. 

As  witnesses  to  prove 
Their  Saviour's  pow'r  and  faithfulness. 
His  providence  and  love. 

*  Matth.  vi.  26—28. 


348  Creation.  Book  II 

8  Thus  may  we  study  nature's  book» 
To  make  us  wise  indeed ! 
And  pity  those  who  only  look 
At  what  they  cannot  read*. 


LXXXII.     The  Rainboiu. 

1  When  the  sun,  with  cheerful  beamn, 

Smiles  upon  a  low'ring  sky, 
Soon  its  aspect  soft'ned  seems, 

And  a  i*ainbow  meets  the  eye : 
While  the  sky  remains  serene. 
This  bright  arch  is  never  seen. 

2  Thus  the  Lord's  supporting  pow'r 

Brightest  to  his  saints  appears. 
When  affliction's  threat'ning  hour 

Fills  their  sky  with  clouds  and  fears : 
He  can  wonders  then  perform, 
Paint  a  rainbow  on  the  storm  f. 

3  All  their  graces  doubly  shine, 

When  their  troubles  press  them  sore ; 
And  the  promises  divine 

Give  them  joys  unknown  before  : 
As  the  colours  of  the  bow 
To  the  cloud  their  brightness  owe. 

4  Favour'd  John  a  rainbow  saw. 

Circling  round  the  throne  above  ij^: 
Hence  the  saints  a  pledge  may  draw 
Of  unchanging  cov'nant-love : 
Clouds  a  while  may  intervene, 
But  the  bow  will  still  be  seen. 

*  Rom.  i.  20.        t  Gen.  ix.  14-        %  Rev.  iv.  S 


Hymn  83.  Creation. 


LXXXIII.     Thunder. 

1  When  a  black  o'erspreading  cloud 

Has  dark'ned  all  the  air, 
And  peals  of  thunder,  roaring  loud, 
Proclaim  the  tempest  near ; 

2  Then  guilt  and  fear,  the  fruits  of  sin, 

The  sinner  oft  pursue ; 
A  louder  storm  is  heard  within, 
And  conscience  thunders  too. 

3  The  law  a  fiery  language  speaks, 

His  danger  he  perceives ; 
Like  Satan,  who  his  ruin  seeks, 
He  trembles  and  believes. 

4  But  when  the  sky  serene  appears, 

And  thunders  roll  no  more. 
He  soon  forgets  his  vows  and  fears, 
Just  as  he  did  before. 

5  But  whither  shall  the  sinner  flee, 

When  nature's  mighty  frame. 
The  pond'rous  earth,  and  air,  and  sea, 
Shall  all  dissolve  in  flame*  ? 

6  Amazing  day  !  it  comes  apace ! 

The  Judge  is  hasting  down  ! 

Will  sinners  bear  to  see  his  face, 

Or  stand  before  his  frown  ? 

7  Lord,  let  thy  mercy  find  a  way 
To  touch  each  stubborn  heart ; 
That  they  may  never  hear  thee  say. 
'*  Ye  cursed  ones,  depart." 
*  2  Pet.  iii.  10. 


550  Creation.  Book  11. 

8  Believers,  ye  may  well  rejoice  ! 
The  thunder's  loudest  strains 
Should  be  to  you  a  welcome  voice, 
Tliat  tells  you,  "  Jesus  reignts  !*' 


LXXXIV.     Lightning  in  the  Mghl. 

\  Aglance  from  heav'n  with  sweet  effect, 
Sometimes  my  pensive  spirit  cheers  ; 
But  ere  I  can  my  thoughts  collect, 
As  suddenly  it  disappears. 

2  So  lightning  in  the  gloom  of  night 

Affords  a  momentary  day  ; 
Disclosing  objects  full  in  sight, 

Which  soon  as  seen  are  snatch  *d  away. 

3  Ah  !  what  avail  these  pleasing  scenes  ! 

They  do  but  aggravate  my  pain  ; 

AVhile  darkness  quickly  intervenes. 

And  swallows  up  my  joys  again. 

■i  But  shall  I  murmur  at  relief? 

Though  short,  it  was  a  precious  ^iew, 
Sent  to  control  my  unbelief. 

And  prove  that  what  I  read  ^vas  true. 

5  The  lightning's  flash  did  not  create 
The  opening  prospect  it  reveal'd ; 
But  only  show'd  the  real  state 

Of  what  the  darkness  had  conceal  'd. 

*»  Just  so,  we  by  a  glimpse  discern 

The  glorious  things  within  the  vail ; 
That,  when  in  darkness,  we  may  learn 
To  live  by  faith,  till  light  prevail. 


Hymn  85.  Creation.  o51 

7  The  Lord's  great  day  will  soon  advance, 
Dispersing  all  the  shades  of  night ; 
Then  we  no  more  shall  need  a  glance, 
But  see  by  an  eternal  light. 


LXXXV.      On  the  Eclifise  of  the  Mom. 
July  30,  1776. 

1  Th  e  moon  in  silver  glory  shone, 

And  not  a  cloud  in  sight. 
When  suddenly  a  shade  begun 
To  intercept  her  light. 

2  How  fast  across  her  orb  it  spread, 

How  fast  her  light  withdrew  ! 
A  circle  ting'd  with  languid  red. 
Was  all  appear 'd  in  view. 

3  While  many,  with  unmeaning  eye. 

Gaze  on  thy  works  in  vain, 
Assist  me  Lord,  that  I  may  try 
Instruction  to  obtain. 

4  Fain  would  my  thankful  heart  and  lips 

Unite  in  praise  of  thee. 
And  meditate  on  thy  eclipse. 
In  sad  Gethsemane. 

5  Thy  people's  guilt,  a  heavy  load, 

(When  standing  in  their  room,) 
Depriv  'd  thee  of  the  light  of  God, 
And  fiU'd  thy  soul  with  gloom. 

6  How  punctually  eclipses  move. 

Obedient  to  thy  will ! 
Thus  shall  thy  faithfulness  and  love 
Thy  promises  fulfil. 


553  Creation.  Book  II. 

7  Dark,  like  the  moon  without  the  sun, 

I  mourn  thine  absence.  Lord ! 
For  light  or  comfort  I  have  none 
But  what  thy  beams  afford. 

8  But,  lo !  the  hour  draws  near  apace, 

When  changes  shall  be  oVr  ; 
Then  I  shall  see  thee  face  to  face*, 
And  be  eclips'd  no  more. 

LXXXVI.    Moon-light. 

1  Th  e  moon  has  but  a  borrow'd  light, 

A  faint  and  feeble  ray ; 
She  owes  her  beauty  to  the  night. 
And  hides  herself  by  day. 

2  No  cheering  warmth  her  beam  conveys, 

Though  pleasing  to  behold ; 
We  might  upon  her  brightness  gaze 
Till  we  were  starv'd  with  cold. 

3  Just  such  is  aU  the  light  to  man 

Which  reason  can  impart ; 

It  cannot  show  one  object  plain, 

Nor  warm  the  frozen  heart. 

4  Thus  moon-light  views  of  truth  divine 

To  many  fatal  prove  ; 
For  what  avail  in  gifts  to  shine 
Without  a  spark  of  lovef  ? 

5  The  Gospel,  like  the  sufi  at  noon, 

Aifords  a  glorious  light ; 
Then  fallen  reason's  boasted  moon 
Appears  no  longer  bright. 
*  1  Cor.  xiii.  12.  f  1  Car.  xiii.  J- 


Hymn  87.  Creation  tj^d 

6  And  grace  not  light  alone  bestows, 
But  adds  a  quick'ning  pow'r ; 
The  desert  blossoms  like  the  rose*, 
And  sin  prevails  no  more. 


LXXXVII.     The  Seat 

1  If  for  a  time  the  air  be  calm 

Serene  and  smooth  the  sea  appears^ 
And  shows  no  danger  to  alarm 

The  unexperienc'd  landsman's  fears : 

2  But  if  the  tempest  once  arise, 

The  faithless  water  swells  and  raves : 
Its  billows,  foaming  to  the  skies, 

Disclose  a  thousand  threat 'ning  graves. 

3  My  untry'd  heart  thus  seem'd  to  me, 

(So  little  of  myself  I  knew,) 
Smooth  as  the  calm  unruffled  sea. 
But,  ah  !  it  prov'd  as  treach'rous  too ! 


4  The  peace  of  which  I  had  a  taste 

When  Jesus  first  his  love  revealed, 
I  fondly  hop'd  would  always  last. 

Because  my  foes  were  then  conceal'd. 

5  But  when  I  felt  the  tempter's  pow'r 

Rouse  my  corruptions  from  their  sleep, 
I  trembled  at  the  stormy  hour, 
And  saw  the  horrors  of  the  deep. 

6  Now  on  presumption's  billows  borne. 

My  spirit  seem'd  the  Lord  to  dare ; 
Now,  quick  as  thought,  a  sudden  turn 
Plung'd  me  ui  gulfs  of  black  despair. 
•  Isuiah  XXXV.  i.         t  Book  i.  Hymn  U5. 

Vol.  III.  4  i{ 


b&i  Creation.  Book  II. 

7  Lord,  save  me,  or  I  sink,  I  pray'd ; 

He  heard,  aiid  bid  the  tempest  cease  ; 
The  angry  waves  his  word  obey*d. 
And  all  my  fears  were  hush'd  to  peace 

3  The  peace  is  his,  and  not  my  own, 
My  heart,  (no  better  than  before,) 
Is  still  to  dreadful  changes  prone. 
Then  let  me  never  trust  it  more. 


LXXXVIII.     The  Flood. 

1  Though  small  the  drops  of  falling  rain. 

If  one  be  singly  view'd ; 
Collected,  they  o'erspread  the  plain, 
And  form  a  mighty  flood. 

2  The  house  it  meets  with  in  its  course 

Should  not  be  built  on  clay. 
Lest,  with  a  wild  resistless  force, 
It  sweep  the  whole  away. 

3  Though  for  a  while  it  seera'd  secure. 

It  will  not  bear  the  shock, 

Unless  it  has  foundations  sure, 

And  stands  upon  a  rock. 

4  Thus  sinners  think  their  evil  deeds. 

Like  drops  of  rain,  are  small ; 
But  it  the  pow'r  of  thought  exceeds, 
To  count  the  sum  of  all. 

5  One  sin  can  raise,  though  small  it  seems, 

A  flood  to  drown  the  soul ; 
What  then,  when  countless  million  stream*^ 
Sliall  join  to  swell  the  whole. 


Hymn  89.  Creation.  555 

6  Yet,  while  they  think  the  weather  fair, 

If  wam'd,  they  smile  or  frown ; 
But  they  will  tremble  and  despair. 
When  the  fierce  flood  comes  down. 

7  Oh  !  then  on  Jesus  ground  your  hope, 

That  stone  in  Zion  laid*  ; 
Lest  your  poor  building  quickly  drop, 
With  ruin  on  your  head. 


LXXXIX.     The  Thaw. 

1  Th  e  ice  and  snow  we  lately  saw, 

Which  covered  all  the  ground. 
Are  melted  soon  before  the  thaw, 
And  can  no  more  be  found. 

2  Could  all  the  art  of  man  suffice 

To  move  away  the  snow. 
To  clear  the  rivers  from  the  ice^ 
Or  make  the  waters  flow  ? 

3  No,  'tis  the  work  of  God  alone ; 

An  emblem  of  the  pow'r 
By  which  he  melts  the  heart  of  stone 
In  his  appointed  hour. 

4  All  outward  means,  till  he  appears, 

Will  ineffectual  prove ; 
Though  much  the  sinner  sees  and  hears, 
He  cannot  learn  to  love. 

5  But  let  the  stoutest  sinner  feel 

The  soft'ning  warmth  of  grace. 
Though  hard  as  ice,  or  rocks,  or  steel. 
His  heart  dissolves  apace. 

*  Matth.  vii.  24. ;  J  Pet.  ii.  6. 


556  Creation.  Book'  IJ. 

6  Seeing  the  blood  which  Jesus  spilt, 

To  save  his  soul  from  wo, 
His  hatred,  unbelief,  and  guilt, 
All  melt  away  like  snow.    - 

7  Jesus,  we  in  thy  name  entreat. 

Reveal  thy  gracious  arni  ;     "'''' 
And  grant  thy  Spirit's  kindly  heat, 
Our  frozen  hearts  to  warm. 


XC.     The  Loadstone. 

1  As  needles  point  towards  the  pole, 

When  touch'd  by  the  magnetic  stone  ; 
So  iaith  in  Jesus  gives  the  soul 
A  tendency  before  unknown. 

2  Till  the  1,  by  blinded  passions  led, 

In  searcn  of  fancy'd  good  we  range ; 
The  paths  of  disappointment  tread, 
To  nothing  fix'd,  but  love  of  change. 

3  But  when  the  Holy  Ghost  imp  irts 

A  knowledge  of  the  S-:viour*s  love, 

Our  wandVing,  weary,  restless  heaits, 

Are  fix'd  at  once,  no  more  to  move. 

-i  Now  a  new  principle  takes  place, 

Which  guides  and  animates  the  will ; 
This  love,  another  name  for  grace. 
Constrains  to  good,  and  bars  from  ill. 

5  By  love's  pure  light  we  soon  perceive 
Our  noblest  bliss  and  proper  end ; 
And  gladly  ev'r}^  idol  leave, 

To  love  and  serve  our  Lord  and  Friend. 


Hymn  91.  Creaimi.  557 

6  Thus  borne  along  by  faith  and  hope, 
We  feel  the  Saviour's  words  are  true ; 
"  And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up,  ^ 

"  Will  draw  the  sinner  upward  too*." 

XCI.    The  spider  and  Bee 

1  On  the  same  flow'r  we  often  see 
The  loathsome  spider  and  the  bee ; 
But  what  they  get  by  working  there 
Is  difTrent,  as  their  natures  are, 

2  The  bee  a  sweet  reward  obtains. 
And  honey  well  repays  his  pains ; 
Home  to  the  hive  he  bears  the  store, 
And  then  returns  in  quest  erf  more. 

3  But  no  sweet  flow'rs  that  grace  the  field 
Can  honey  to  the  spider  yield ; 

A  cobweb  all  that  he  can  spin. 
And  poison  all  he  stores  withm. 

4  Thus  in  that  sacred  field,  the  Word, 
With  flow'rs  of  God's  own  planting  stor'd, 
Like  bees  his  children  feed  and  thrive,    . 
And  bring  home  honey  to  tiie  hive. 

5  There,  spider-like,  the  wicked  come. 
And  seem  to  taste  the  sweet  perfume  ; 
But  the  vile  venom  of  their  hearts 

To  poison  all  their  food  converts. 

6  From  the  same  truths  believers  prized 
They  weave  vain  refuges  of  lies ; 

And  from  the  promise  license  draw.  ^  c 
To  trifle  with  the  holy  law. 
*  John  xii.  .T^ 


Creation,  Book  II. 

7  Lord,  shall  thy  word  of  life  and  love 
The  means  of  death  to  numbers  prove  ? 
Unless  thy  grace  our  hearts  renew, 
We  sink  to  hell,  with  heav'n  in  view*. 


XCII.     The  Bee  saved  from  the  Sfiider.- 

1  The  subtle  spider  often  weaves 

His  unsuspected  snares 
Among  the  balmy  flow'rs  and  leaves. 
To  which  the  bee  repairs. 

2  When  in  his  web  he  sees  one  hang, 

With  a  malicious  joy, 
He  darts  upon  it  with  his  fang, 
To  poison  and  destroy. 

3  How  welcome  then  some  pitying  friend;^ 

To  save  the  threaten'd  bee  ! 
The  spider's  treach'rous  web  to  rend,. 
And  set  the  captive  free. 

4  My  soul  has  been  in  such  a  case  : 

When  first  I  knew  the  Lord, 
I  hasted  to  the  means  of  grace, 
Where  sweets  I  knew  were  stca:*d. 

5  Little  I  thought  of  danger  near, 

That  soon  my  joys  would  ebb  ; 
But,  ah  !  I  met  a  spider  diere, 
Who  caught  me  in  his  web. 

6  Then  Satan  rais'd  his  pois'nous  sting, 

And  aim'd  his  blows  at  me ; 
While  I,  poor,  helpiess,  trembling  thing, 
Couid  neitlier  fight  nor  flee. 
*  Book  iii.  Hymn  7 ) . 


Hymn  93.  (ideation.  569 

7  But,  oh !  the  Saviour's  pitying  eye 
Reliev'd  me  from  despair ; 
He  saw  me  at  the  point  to  die 
And  broke  the  fatal  snare. 

3  My  case  his  heedless  saints  should  warn, 
Or  cheer  them  if  afraid  ; 
May  you  from  me  your  danger  learn, 
And  where  to  look  for  aid. 


XCIII.      The  tamed  Lion. 

1  A  LION,  though  by  nature  wild, 

The  art  of  man  can  tame  ; 
He  stands  before  his  keeper,  mild, 
And  gentle  as  a  lamb. 

2  He  watches,  with  submissive  eye, 

The  hand  that  gives  him  food, 
As  if  he  meant  to  testify 
A  sense  of  gratitude. 

3  But  man  himself,  who  thus  subdue^ 

The  fiercest  beasts  of  prey, 
A  nature  more  unfeeling  shows, 
And  far  more  fierce  than  they. 

4  Though  by  the  Lord  preserv'd  and  fed. 

He  proves  rebellious  still ; 
And  while  he  eats  his  Maker's  bread, 
Resists  his  holy  will. 

5  Alike  in  vain,  of  grace  that  saves, 

Or  threat'ning  law,  he  hears  ; 
The  savage  scorns,  blasphemes,  and  raves, 
But  neidicr  loves  nor  fears. 


56Q  Creation.  Book  II. 

6  O  Saviour !  how  thy  vvond'rous  powV 

By  angels  is  proclaim 'd, 
When  in  thine  own  appointed  hour, 
They  see  this  lion  tam'd. 

7  The  love  thy  bleeding  cross  displays, 

The  hardest  heart  subdues ; 
Here  furious  lions  while  they  gaze, 
Their  rage  and  fierceness  lose*. 

8  Yet  we  are  but  renew'd  in  part, 

The  lion  still  remains  ; 
Lord,  drive  him  wholly  from  my  heart, 
Or  keep  him  fast  in  chains. 


XCIV.     Sheefi. 

1  The  Saviour  calls  his  people  sheep, 

And  bids  them  on  his  love  rely  ; 
For  he  alone  their  souls  can  keep. 
And  he  alone  their  wants  supply. 

2  The  bull  can  fight,  the  hare  can  flee. 

The  ant,  in  summer,  food  prepare ; 
But  helpless  sheep,  and  such  are  we. 
Depend  upon  the  shepherd's  care. 

3  Jehovah  is  our  Shepherd's  namef ; 

Then  what  have  we,  tho'  weak,  to  fear  ? 
Our  sin  and  folly  we  proclaim, 
If  we  despond  while  he  is  near. 

4  When  Satan  threatens  to  devour. 

When  troubles  press  on  ev'ry  side, 
Think  of  our  Shepherd's  care  and  pow'r, 
He  can  defend,  he  will  provide. 
*  Isaiah  7:i.  6.  t  Psal.  xxi-ii.  1. 


Hymn  95.  Creation.  5C1 

5  See  the  rich  pastures  of  his  grace, 

Where,  in  full  streams,  salvation  flows  ! 
There  he  appoints  our  resting-place. 
And  we  may  feed>  secure  from  foes. 

6  There  'midst  the  flock,  the  Shepherd  dwells, 

The  sheep  around  in  safety  lie ; 
The  wolf,  in  vain,  with  malice  swells, 
For  he  protects  them  with  his  eye*^. 

7  Dear  Lord,  if  I  am  one  of  thine. 

From  anxious  thoughts  I  would  be  free  ; 
To  trust,  and  love,  and  praise,  is  mine,j 
The  care  of  all  belongs  to  thee. 

Xqy,,;   The  Garden. 

1  A  GARDEN  contemplation  suits. 

And  may  instruction  yield. 
Sweeter  than  all  the  flow'rs  and  fruits, 
With  which  the  spot  is  fiU'd. 

2  Edelt  was  Adam*s  dwelling  place, 

While  blest  with  innocence  ; 
But  sin  o'erwhelm'd  him  with  disgrace. 
And  drove  the  rebel  thence. 

3  Oft  as  the  garden- walk  we  tread, 

We  should  bemoan  his  fall ; 
The  trespass  of  our  legal  head 
In  ruin  plung'd  us  all. 

4  The  garden  of  Gethsemane 

The  second  Adam  saw, 
Oppress'd  with  wo,  to  set  us  free 
From  the  avenging  law. 

*  Micah  V.  4. 

Vol.  III.  4  C 


562  Creatim.  Boafe'tl,. 

5  How  stupid  we,  who  can  forget, 

With  gardens  in  our  sight. 
His  agonies  and  bloody  sweat, 
In  that  tremendous  night ! 

6  His  church  as  a  fair  garden  stands, 

Which  walls  of  love  enclose  ; 
Each  tree  is  planted  by  his  hands*, 
And  by  his  blessing  grows. 

7  Believing  hearts  are  gardens  too, 

For  grace  has  sown  its  seeds. 
Where  once,  by  nature,  nothing  grew 
But  thorns  and  worthless  weeds. 

8  Such  themes  to  those  who  Jesus  love, 

May  constant  joys  afford, 
And  make  a  barren  desert  prove 
The  garden  of  the  Lord. 


XCVI.       /'"or  a  Gardeii'-seat  or  Summer 'house. 

1  A  SHELTER  from  the  rain  or  windf, 

A  shade  from  scorching  heat, 
A  resting-place  you  here  may  find, 
To  ease  your  weary  feet. 

2  Enter,  but  with  a  serious  thought 

Consider  who  is  near  ! 
This  is  a  consecrated  spot, 
The  Lord  is  present  here  ! 

3  A  question  of  the  utmost  weight, 

While  reading,  meets  your  eye  ; 
May  conscience  witness  to  your  state.. 
And  give  a  true  reply ! 

*  Isa.  ixi.  3.         t  Isa.  xxxii.  2. 


Hymn  97.  Creation.  563 

4  Is  Jesus  to  your  heart  reveal'd, 

As  full  of  truth  and  grace  ? 
And  is  his  name  your  hope  and  shield, 
Your  rest  and  hiding-place  ? 

5  If  so,  for  all  events  prepar'd, 

Whatever  storms  may  rise, 
He,  whom  you  love,  will  safely  guard, 
And  guide  you  to  the  skies. 

6  No  burning  sun,  or  storm,  or  rain, 

Will  there  your  peace  annoy ; 
No  sin,  temptation,  grief,  or  pain, 
Intrude  to  damp  your  joy. 

7  But  if  his  name  you  have  not  known, 

Oh,  seek  him  while  you  may  ! 
Lest  you  should  meet  his  awful  frowHj 
In  that  approaching  day. 

8  When  the  avenging  Judge  you  see, 

With  terrors  on  his  brow. 
Where  can  you  hide,  or  whither  flee,^ 
If  you  reject  him  now  ? 

XCVII.   The  Creatures  in  the  Lord's  hands. 

1  Th  e  water  stood  like  walls  of  brass, 
To  let  the  sons  of  Israel  pass  *  ; 
And  from  the  rock  in  rivers  burst  f, 

At  Moses*  prayer,  to  quench  their  thirst. 

2  The  fire,  restrained  by  God's  commands, 
Could  only  burn  his  people's  bands, 
Too  faint,  when  he  was  with  them  there, 
To  singe  their  garments  or  their  hair|. 

*  Exod.  xiv.  22.     t  Numb,  xx,  1 1.     \  Daniel  iii.  27. 


564  Creation.  Book  II. 

3  At  Daniel's  feet  the  lions  lay 

Like  harmless  lambs,nortouch'd  their  prey*; 
And  ravens,  which  on  carrion  fed, 
Procur'd  Elijali  flesh  and  bread. 

4  Thus  creatures  only  can  fulfil 
Their  great  Creator's  holy  will ; 
And  when  his  servants  need  their  aid, 
His  purposes  must  be  obey'd. 

5  So  if  his  blessing  he  refuse, 

Their  pow'r  to  help  they  quickly  lose, 
Sure  as  on  creatures  we  depend, 
Our  hopes  in  disappointment  end. 

6  Then  let  us  trust  the  Lord  alone. 
And  creature-confidence  disown. 
Nor  if  they  threaten  need  we  fear, 
They  cannot  hurt  if  he  be  near. 

7  If  instruments  of  pain  they  prove. 
Still  they  are  guided  by  his  love ; 
As  lancets  by  the  surgeon's  skill, 
Which  wound  to  cure,  and  not  to  kill. 

XCVIII.    On  Dreaming. 

1  Wh  e  n  slumber  seals  our  weary  eyes. 

The  busy  fancy  wakeful  keeps  ; 
The  scenes  which  then  before  us  rise. 
Prove  sometliing  in  us  never  sleeps. 

2  As  in  another  world  we  seem, 

A  new  creation  of  our  own  ; 
All  appears  real,  though  a  dream, 
And  all  familiar,  though  unknown. 

*  Daniel  vi.  23. 


Hymn.  99.  Creation.  565 

3  Sometimes  the  mind  beholds  again 

The  past  day's  business  in  review ; 
Resumes  the  pleasure  or  the  pain. 
And  sometimes  all  we  meet  is  new. 

4  What  schemes  we  form,  what  pains  we  take  I 

We  fight,  we  run,  we  fly,  we  fall ; 
But  all  is  ended  when  we  wake, 
We  scarcely  then  a  trace  recall. 

5  But  though  our  dreams  are  often  wild, 

Like  clouds  before  the  driving  storm  ; 
Yet  some  important  may  be  styl'd, 
Sent  to  admonish  or  inform. 

6  What  mighty  agents  have  access, 

What  friends  from  heav'n,  orfoesfromhell, 
Our  minds  to  comfort  or  distress. 
When  we  are  sleeping,  who  can  tell  ? 

7  One  thing  at  least  and  'tis  enough, 

We  learn  from  this  surprising  fact ; 
Our  dreams  afibrd  sufficient  proof, 
The  soul,  without  the  flesh,  can  act. 

8  This  life,  which  mortals  so  esteem, 

That  many  choose  it  for  their  all, 
They  will  confess,  was  but  a  dream*, 
When  'waken'd  by  death's  awful  call. 


XCIX.     The  World. 

See,  the  world  for  youth  prepares, 
Harlot  like,  her  gaudy  snares  ! 
Pleasures  round  her  seem  to  wait. 
But  'tis  all  a  painted  cheat. 

*  Isaiah  xxix.  8. 


>0G  Creation,  Book  U. 

2  Rash  and  unsuspecting  youth 
Thinks  to  find  thee  always  smooth. 
Always  kind,  till  better  taught, 

By  experience  dearly  bought. 

3  So  the  calm,  but  faithless  sea, 
(Lively  emblem,  world,  of  thee,) 
Tempts  the  shepherd  from  the  shore, 
Foreign  regions  to  explore. 

4  While  no  wrinkled  wave  is  seen, 
Willie  the  sky  remains  serene, 
FiU'd  with  hopes  and  golden  schemes. 
Of  a  storm  he  little  dreams. 

5  But  ere  long  the  tempest  raves,  - 
Then  he  trembles  at  the  waves  ; 
Wishes  then  he  had  been  wise, 
But  too  late — he  smks  and  dies. 

6  Hapless  thus  are  they,  vain  world, 
Soon  on  rocks  of  ruin  hurl'd, 
Who,  admiring  thee,  untry'd, 
Court  thy  pleasures,  wealth,  or  pride. 

7  Such  a  shipwreck  had  been  mine, 
Had  not  Jesus,  (name  divine  !) 
Sav'd  me  with  a  mighty  hand, 
And  restor'd  my  soul  to  land. 

8  Now,  with  gratitude,  I  raise 
Ebenezers  to  his  praise  ; 
Now  my  rash  pursuits  are  o'er, 
I  can  trust  thee,  world,  no  more. 


Hvmn  100.  Creation,  '<^'' 


C.     The  Enchantment  dissolved. 

1  Blinded  in  youth  by  Satan's  arts, 
The  world  to  our  unpractis'd  hearts 

A  flattering  prospect  shows ; 
Our  fancy  forms  a  thousand  schemes 
Of  gay  delights,  and  golden  dreams, 

And  undisturb'd  repose. 

2  So  in  the  desert's  dreary  waste, 
By  magic  pow'r  produc'd  in  haste, 

(As  ancient  fables  say,) 
Castles,  and  groves,  and  music  sweet, 
The  senses  of  the  trav'Uer  meet, 

And  stop  him  in  his  way. 

3  But  while  he  listens  with  surprise. 
The  charm  dissolves,  the  vision  dies, 

*Twas  but  enchanted  ground  ; 
Thus  if  the  Lord  our  spirit  touch, 
The  world,  which  promis'd  us  so  much, 

A  wilderness  is  found. 

4  At  first  we  start,  and  feel  distress'd. 
Con  vine 'd  we  never  can  have  rest 

In  such  a  wretched  place  ; 
But  he  whose  mercy  breaks  the  charm, 
Reveals  his  own  Almighty  arm, 

And  bids  us  seek  his  face. 

5  Then  we  begin  to  live  indeed. 
When  from  our  sin  and  bondage  freed 

By  this  beloved  Friend  ; 
We  follow  him  from  day  to  day. 
Assured  of  grace  through  all  the  way, 

And  glory  at  the  end. 


OLNEY  HYMNS, 

BOOK  III. 

ON  THE  RISE,  PROGRESS,  CHANGES,  AND 
COMFORTS  OF  THE  SPIRITUAL  LIFE; 

C Under  the  following'  heads  ._) 


I.  Solemn  Addresses  to  Sinners. 
H.  Seeking,  Pleading,  Hoping. 
m.  Conaict. 
IV.  Comfort. 

V.  Dedication  and  Surrender. 

VI.  Cautions. 


VII.  Praise. 
Vm.  Short  Hymns. 
Before  Sermolx. 
After  Sermon. 
Gloria  Patri. 


I.  SOLEMN  ADDRESSES  TO  SINNERS. 
HYMN  I.     Exfioatulation, 


iNo 


words  can  declare, 

No  fancy  can  paint, 
What  rage  and  despair, 

What  hopeless  complaint, 
Fill  Satan's  dark  dwelling, 

The  prison  beneath; 
What  weeping  and  yelling, 

And  gnashing  of  teeth  ! 

2  Yet  sinners  will  choose 
This  dreadful  abode  ; 
Each  madly  pursues 
The  dangerous  road ; 


»> 


#^ 


Hymn  I.  To  Sinners.  669 

Though  God  give  them  warning, 

They  onward  will  go, 
They  answer  with  scorning, 

And  rush  upon  wo. 

3  How  sad  to  behold 

The  rich  and  the  poor. 
The  young  and  the  old, 

All  blindly  secure  ! 
All  posting  to  ruin, 

Refusing  to  stop ; 
Ah  !  think  what  you're  doing, 

While  yet  there  is  hope  ! 

0.^,       How  weak  is  your  hand, 

To  fight  with  the  Lord ! 
How  can  you  withstand 

The  edge  of  his  sword  ? 
What  hope  of  escaping 

For  those  who  oppose, 
When  hell  is  wide  gaping 

To  swallow  his  foes ! 

5  How  oft  have  you  dar'd 

The  Lord  to  his  face  ! 
Yet  still  you  are  spar'd 

To  hear  of  his  grace  ; 
Oh !  pray  for  repentance 

And  life-giving  faith. 
Before  the  just  sentence 

Consign  you  to  death. 

6  It  is  not  too  late 

To  Jesus  to  flee. 
His  mercy  is  great. 
His  pardon  is  free ! 
Vol.  in.  4  D 


^> 


570  To  Sinners.  Book  If  I. 

His  blood  has  such  virtue, 

For  all  that  believe, 
That  nothing  can  hurt  you. 

If  him  you  receive. 


II.     jilarm. 


1  Stop,  poor  sinner !  stop  and  think 

Before  you  further  go ! 
Will  you  sport  upon  the  brink 

Of  everlasting  wo  ? 
Once  again,  I  charge,  you  stop  ! 

For,  unless  you  warning  take, 
Ere  you  are  aware,  you  drop  \ 

Into  the  burning  lake  ! 

2  Say,  have  you  an  arm  like  God, 

That  you  his  will  oppose  ? 
Fear  you  not  that  iron  rod 

With  which  he  breaks  his  foes  ? 
Can  you  stand  in  that  dread  day. 

When  he  judgment  shall  proclaim^ 
And  the  earth  shall  melt  away  '^  ^ 

Like  wax  before  the  flame  ? 

3  Pale-fac'd  death  will  quickly  come. 

To  drag  you  to  his  bar  ; 
Then  to  hear  your  awful  doom 

Will  fill  you  with  despair. 
All  your  sins  will  round  you  crowd[, 

Sins  of  a  blood-crimson  dye  ; 
Each  for  vengeance  crying  loud, 

And  what  can  you  reply  ? 


Hymn  3.  2b  Sinners.  571 

4  Though  your  heart  be  made  of  steel, 

Your  forehead  lin'd  with  brass, 
God  at  length  will  make  you  feel, 

He  will  not  let  you  pass : 
Sinner?  then  in  vain  will  call, 

(Though  they  now  despise  his  grace,) 
Rocks  and  mountains  on  us  fall, 

And  hide  us  from  his  face*. 

'Ir  5  But  as  yet  there  is  a  hope 

You  may  his  mercy  know ; 
Though  his  arm  is  lifted  up. 

He  still  forbears  the  blow : 
'Twas  for  sinners  Jesus  dy'd, 

Sinners  he  invites  to  come ; 
None  who  come  shall  be  deny*d, 

He  says,  *'  There  still  is  roomf." 


III.    We  ivere  once  as  you  are. 

1  Shall  men  pretend  to  pleasure 

Who  never  knew  the  Lord  ? 
Can  all  the  worldling's  treasure 

True  peace  of  mind  afford  ? 
They  shall  obtain  this  jewel, 

And  what  their  hearts  desire, 
When  they,  by  adding  fuel. 

Can  quench  the  flame  of  fire, 

2  Till  you  can  bid  the  ocean, 

When  furious  tempests  roar  |, 
Forget  its  wonted  motion. 

And  rage  and  swell  no  more : 


^ 


*  Rev.  vi.  16.  t  Luke  xiv.  22.  ^  Isa.  Ivii.  20, 21, 


•572  2^0  Sinners,  Book  III. 

In  vain  your  expectation 

To  find  content  in  sin ; 
Or  freedom  from  vexation 

While  passions  reign  within. 

3  Come  turn  your  thoughts  to  Jesus, 

If  you  would  good  possess  ; 
*Tis  he  alone  that  frees  us 

From  guilt  and  from  distress : 
When  he  by  faith  is  present,  *t 

The  sinner's  troubles  cease  ; 
His  ways  are  truly  pleasant, 

And  all  his  paths  are  peace** 

i  Our  time  in  sin  we  wasted, 

And  fed  upon  the  wind  j 
Until  his  love  we  tasted, 

No  comfort  could  we  find  : 
But  now  we  stand  to  witness 

His  pow'r  and  grace  to  you  ; 
May  you  perceive  its  fitness. 

And  call  upon  him  too  ! 

5  Our  pleasure  and  our  duty, 

Though  opposite  before, 
Since  we  have  seen  his  beauty, 

Are  join'd  to  part  no  more :  ^ 

It  is  our  highest  pleasure,  $lHh 

No  less  than  duty's  call. 
To  love  him  beyond  measure, 

And  serve  him  with  our  all, 

*  Prov.  iii.  17. 


*  .#■ 


Hymn  4.  To  Sinners.  573 


IV,  Prepare  to  meet  God. 

1  Sinner,  art  thou  still  secure? 

Wilt  thou  still  refuse  to  pray  ? 
Can  thy  heait  or  hands  endure 

In  the  Lord's  avenging  day  ? 
See,  his  mighty  arm  is  bar'd ! 

Awful  terrors  clothe  his  brow ! 
For  his  judgment  stand  prepar'd, 

Thou  must  either  break  or  bow. 

2  At  his  presence  nature  shakes, 

Earth  aifrighted  hastes  to  flee. 
Solid  mountains  melt  like  wax. 

What  will  then  become  of  thee  ? 
Who  his  advent  may  abide  ? 

You  that  glory  in  your  shame, 
Will  you  find  a  place  to  hide 

When  the  world  is  wrapt  in  flame  ? 

3  Then  the  rich,  the  great,  the  wise, 

Trembling,  guilty,  self-condemn'd, 
Must  behold  the  wrathful  eyes 

Of  the  Judge  they  once  blasphem'd 
Where  are  now  their  haughty  looks  ? 

Oh,  tlieir  horror  and  despair  ! 
When  they  see  the  open'd  books, 

And  their  dreadful  sentence  hear  ! 

4  Lord,  prepare  us  by  thy  grace ! 

Soon  we  must  resign  our  breatli ; 
And  our  souls  be  call'd,  to  pass 
Through  the  iron  gate  of  death : 


574  To  Sinners,  Book  III. 

Let  us  now  our  days  improve. 

Listen  to  the  Gospel  voice ; 
Seek  the  things  that  are  above, 

Scorn  the  world's  pretended  joys. 

5  Oh  !  when  flesh  and  heart  shall  fail, 

Let  thy  love  our  spirits  cheer, 
Strejigthen'd  thus  we  shall  prevail 

Over  Satan,  sin,  and  fear  : 
Trusting  in  thy  precious  name, 

May  we  thus  our  journey  end ; 
Then  our  foes  shall  lose  their  aim, 

And  the  Judge  will  be  our  friend. 


V.  Invitation. 


1  Sinners,  hear  the  Saviour's  call, 

He  now  is  passing  by  ; 
He  has  seen  thy  grievous  thrall, 

And  heard  thy  mournful  cry. 
He  has  pardons  to  impart, 

Grace  to  save  thee  from  thy  fears, 
See  the  love  that  fills  his  heart, 

And  wipe  away  thy  tears. 

2  Why  art  thou  afraid  to  come 

And  tell  him  all  thy  case  ? 
He  will  not  pronounce  thy  doom. 

Nor  frown  thee  from  his  face  ; 
Wilt  thou  fear  Immanuel  ? 

Wilt  thou  dread  the  Lamb  of  God, 
Who,  to  save  thy  soul  from  hell, 

Has  shed  his  precious  blood  ? 


4 


Hymn  G.  To  Sinners.  hih 

3  Think  how  on  the  cross  he  hung 

Pierc'd  with  a  thousand  wounds ! 
Hark,  from  each  as  with  a  tongue 

The  voice  of  pardon  sounds ! 
See  from  all  his  bursting  veins, 

Blood  of  wondrous  virtue  flow ! 
Shed  to  wash  away  thy  stains, 

And  ransom  thee  from  wo. 

4  Though  his  majesty  be  great, 

His  mercy  is  no  less  ; 
Though  he  thy  transgressions  hate, 

He  feels  for  thy  distress  : 
By  himself  the  Lord  has  sworn. 

He  delights  not  in  thy  death* ; 
But  invites  thee  to  return,  t 

That  thou  may'st  live  by  faith. 

5  Raise  thy  downcast  eyes  and  see 

What  throngs  his  throne  surround  J 
These,  though  sinners  once  like  thee, 

Have  full  salvation  found  : 
Yield  not  then  to  unbelief ! 

While  he  saj^s  "  There  yet  is  room ;" 
Though  of  sinners  thou  art  chief, 

Since  Jesus  calls  thee,  come. 


SIMILAR  HYMNS. 


Book  I.    Hymns  75,  91. 

Book  II.  Hymns  1,  2,  3,  4.  6.  ^^,  77,  78.  83. 

*  Eseluel  xjcTuii.  11. 


570  To  Sinners,  Book  IIJ. 

II.  SEEKING,  PLEADING,  AND  HOPING. 

VI.   The  Burdened  Sinner. 

1  Ah  !  what  can  I  do, 

Or  where  be  secure ! 
If  justice  pursue 

What  heart  can  endure  ! 
The  heart  breaks  asunder, 

Though  hard  as  a  stone, 
When  God  speaks  in  thunder,  t,'   "" 

And  makes  himself  known.  \ 

2  With  terror  I  read 

^  My  sins'  heavy  score, 

The  number  exceeds 

The  sands  on  the  shore  ; 
Guilt  makes  me  unable 

To  stand  or  to  flee ; 
So  Cain  murder'd  Abel, 

And  trembled  like  me. 

3  Each  sin,  like  his  blood, 

With  a  terrible  cry. 
Calls  loudly  on  God 

To  strike  from  on  high  : 
Nor  can  my  repentance, 

Extorted  by  fear, 
Reverse  the  just  sentence  ; 

'Tis  just,  though  severe. 

4  The  case  is  too  plain, 

I  have  my  own  choice ; 
Again,  and  again, 
I  slighted  his  voice ; 


1 


Hymn  7.  Seeking ^  8rc.  hi 7 

His  warnings  neglected, 

His  patience  abus'd, 
His  Gospel  rejected, 

His  mercy  refus'd. 

5  And  must  I  then  go, 

For  ever  to  dwell 
In  torments  and  wo 

With  devils  in  hell ! 
Oh!  where  is  the  Saviour 

I  scom*d  in  times  past  ? 
His  word  in  my  favour 
'[  Would  save  me  at  last. 

6  Lord  Jesus,  on  thee 

I  venture  to  call. 
Oh  look  upon  me,  ' 

The  vilest  of  all! 
For  whom  didst  thou  languish, 

And  bleed  on  the  tree  ? 
Oh  pity  my  anguish, 

And  say,  "  'Twas  for  thee.''' 

7  A  case  such  as  mine 

Will  honour  thy  pow'r  ; 
All  hell  will  repine, 

All  heav'n  will  adore  : 
If  in  condemnation 

Strict  justice  takes  place, 
It  shines  in  salvation 

More  glorious  thi'ough  grace. 


Vol.  III.  4  E 


578  '  otckingy  Stc-  Book  Hi. 

VII.       Behold,  I  am  vile  ! 

1  O  Lord,  how  vile  am  I, 

Unholy  and  unclean ! 
How  can  I  dare  to  venture  nigh 
With  such  a  load  of  sin  ? 

2  Is  this  polluted  heart 

A  dwelling  fit  for  thee  ? 
Swarming,  alas !  in  evVy  part, 
What  evils  do  I  see  ! 

3  If  I  attempt  to  pray, 

And  lisp  thy  holy  name. 
My  thoughts  are  hurry'd  soon  away, 
«  I  know  not  where  I  am. 

4  If  in  thy  word  I  look, 

Such  darkness  fills  my  mind, 
I  only  read  a  sealed  book, 
But  no  relief  can  find. 

5  Thy  Gospel  oft  I  hear, 

But  hear  it  still  in  vain  ; 
Without  desire,  or  love,  or  ftfti , 
I  like  a  stone  remain. 

6  Myself  can  hardly  bear 

This  wretched  heart  of  mine  ; 
How  hateful  then  must  it  appear 
To  tliose  pure  eyes  of  thine  ? 

7  And  must  I  then  indeed 

Sink  in  despair  and  die  ? 
Fain  would  I  hope  that  thou  didst  bleed 
For  such  a  wretch  as  I. 


Hymn  8.  Seeking,  Src  ^79 

8  That  blood  which  thou  has  spilt, 

That  grace  which  is  thine  own, 
Can  cleanse  the  vilest  sinner's  guilt, 
And  soften  hearts  of  stone. 

9  Low  at  thy  feet  I  bow, 

Oh  pity  and  forgive  ; 
Here  will  I  lie,  and  wait  till  thou 
Shalt  bid  me  rise  and  live. 


VIII.     C.      The  shining  Light. 

1  My  former  hopes  are  fled. 

My  terror  now  begins  ; 
I  feel,  alas  !  that  I  am  dead 
In  trespasses  and  sins. 

2  Ah,  whither  shall  I  fly ! 

I  hear  the  thunder  roar ; 
The  law  proclaims  destruction  nigh, 
And  vengeance  at  the  door. 

3  When  I  review  my  ways, 

I  dread  impending  doom ; 
But  sure^  friendly  whisper  says, 
*'  Flee  from  the  wrath  to  come." 

4  I  see,  or  think  I  see, 

A  glimm'ring  from  afar ; 
A  beam  of  day  that  shines  for  me, 
To  save  me  from  despair. 

5  Fore-runner  of  the  sun*, 

It  marks  the  pilgrim's  way ; 
I'll  gaze  upon  it  while  I  run, 
And  \\'atch  the  rising  day. 
*  Psal.  cxxx.  6. 


•>80  Seeking^  8rc.  Book  Til. 


IX.     Encouragement. 

1  My  soul  is  beset 

With  grief  and  dismay 
I  owe  a  vast  debt, 

And  nothing  can  pay : 
I  must  go  to  prison, 

Unless  tliat  dear  Lord, 
Who  dy'd  and  is  risen, 

His  pity  afford. 

2  The  death  that  he  dy*d, 

The  blood  that  he  spilt, 
To  sinners  apply'd. 

Discharge  from  all  guilt ; 
This  great  intercessor 

Can  give,  if  he  please, 
The  vilest  transgressor 

Immediate  release. 

3  When  nail'd  to  the  tree, 

He  answer'd  the  pray'r 
Of  one,  who,  like  me. 

Was  nigh  to  despair*  ; 
He  did  not  upbraid  him 

With  all  he  had  done, 
But  instantly  made  him 

A  saint  and  a  son. 

4  The  jailer,  I  read, 

A  pardon  receiv'df: 
And  how  was  he  freed  ? 
He  only  belie v'd  : 
*  Luke  xxiii.  43.  t  Acts  xvi.  3j . 


Hymn  9.  Seeking^  Srt.  581 

His  case  mine  resembled, 

Like  me  he  was  foul, 
Like  me  too  he  trembled, 

But  faith  made  him  whole. 

5  Though  Saul  in  his  youth, 

To  madness  cnrag'd ; 
Against  the  Lord's  truth 

And  people  engag'd ; 
Yet  Jesus,  the  Saviour, 

Whom  long  he  reviPd*, 
Receiv'd  liim  to  favour, 

And  made  him  a  child. 

6  A  foe  to  all  good, 

In  wickedness  skill'd, 
Manasseh  with  blood 

Jerusalem  fill'd ; 
In  evil  long  harden'd. 

The  Lord  he  defy'd ; 
Yet  he  too  was  pardon'd. 

When  mercy  he  cry'df' 

7  Of  sinners  the  chief. 

And  viler  than  all, 
The  jailer  or  thief, 

Manasseh  or  Saul : 
Since  they  were  forgiv'n 

Why  should  I  despair, 
While  Christ  is  in  heav'n. 

And  still  answers  pray'r? 
*  1  Tim.  i.  16.  t  2  Chron.  xxxiii.  12,  13. 


582  Seekhig,  Src.  Book  III, 

X.      The  Waiting  SguI. 

1  Breathe  from  the  gentle  south,  O  Lord, 

And  cheer  me  from  the  north  ; 
Blow  on  the  treasures  of  thy  word, 
And  call  the  spices  forth ! 

2  I  wish,  thou  knovv'st,  to  be  resigned, 

And  wait  with  patient  hope  ; 
But  hope  delay 'd,  fatigues  the  mind, 
And  drinks  the  spirits  up. 

3  Help  me  to  reach  the  distant  goal. 

Confirm  my  feeble  knee, 
Pity  the  sickness  of  a  soul 
That  faints  for  love  ol  thee. 

4  Cold  as  I  feel  this  heart  of  mine^ 

Yet  since  I  feel  it  so, 
It  yields  some  hope  of  life  divine 
Within,  however  low. 

5  I  seem  forsaken  and  alone, 

I  heai'  the  lion  roar ; 
And  every  door  is  shut,  but  one, 
And  that  is  mercy's  door. 

6  There,  till  the  dear  DelivVer  come 

I'll  wait  with  humble  pray'r  ; 
And  when  he  calls  his  exile  home. 
The  Lord  shall  find  him  there. 

XI.      The  Effort. 

1  Cheer  up,  my  soul,  there  is  a  mercy-seai 
Sprinkled  with  blood,  where  Jesus  answers 

pray'r ; 
There  humbly  cast  thyself  beneath  his  feet. 
For  never  needy  sinner  perish'd  there. 


Hymn  12.  Peeking,  ^c.  585 

2  Lord,  I  am  come  !  thy  promise  is  my  plea, 
Without  thy  word  I  durst  not  venture  nigh ; 
But  thou  hast  call'd  the  burden'd  soul  to  thee ; 
A  weary  burden'd  soul,  O  Lord,  am  I ! 

3  Bow'd  down  beneath  a  heavy  load  of  sin, 
By  Satan's  fierce  temptations  sorely  prest, 
Beset  without,  and  full  of  fears  within, 
Trembling  and  faint  I  come  to  thee  for  rest. 

4  Be  thou  my  refuge.  Lord,  my  hiding-place, 
I  know  no  force  can  tear  me  from  thy  side ; 
Unmov'd  I  then  my  all  accusers  face. 

And  answer  ev'ry  charge  with  "  Jesus  dy*d." 

5  Yes,  thou  didst  weep,  and  bleed,  and  groan, 
and  die. 

Well  hast  thou  known  what  fierce  temptations 

mean, 
Such  was  thy  love,  and  now  enthron'd  on  high, 
The  same  compassions  in  thy  bosom  reign. 

6  Lord  give  me  faith — he  hears — what  grace 
is  this !  • 

Dry  up  thy  tears,  my  soul,  and  cease  to  grieve ; 
He  shows  me  what  he  did,  and  who  he  is, 
I  must,  I  will,  I  can,  I  do  believe. 

XII.      The  Effort — in  another  Measure. 

1  Approach,'  my  soul,  the  mercy- seat 

Where  Jesus  answers  pray'r ; 
(fhere  humbly  fall  before  his  feet, 
For  none  can  perish  there. 

2  Thy  promise  is  my  only  plea, 

With  this  I  venture  nigh  ; 
Thou  cdilest  burden'd  souls  to  ther, 
And  such,  O  Lord,  am  L 


584  Seeking,  Src.  Kook.  111. 

3  Bow'd  down  beneath  a  load  of  sin, 

By  Satan  sorely  prest ; 
By  war  without,  and  fears  within, 
I  come  to  thee  for  rest. 

4  Be  thou  my  shield  and  hiding-place ! 

That,  shelter'd  near  thy  side, 
I  may  my  fierce  accuser  face  ; 

And  tell  him,  "  Thou  hast  dy'd." 

5  Oh  wondrous  love !  to  bleed  and  die, 

To  bear  the  cross  and  shame, 
That  guilty  sinners,  such  as  I, 
Might  plead  thy  gracious  name. 

6  "  Poor  tempest-tossed  soul,  be  still, 

"  My  promis'd  grace  receive  ;'* 
'Tis  Jesus  speaks — I  must,  I  will, 
I  can,  I  do  believe. 


XIII.     Seeking  the  Beloved. 

1  To  those  who  know  the  Lord,  I  speak, 

Is  my  beloved  near  ? 
The  bridegroom  of  my  soul  I  seek, 
Oh !  when  will  he  appear  ? 

2  Though  once  a  man  of  grief  and  shame, 

Yet  now  he  fills  a  throne. 
And  bears  the  greatest,  sweetest  name. 
That  earth  or  heav'n  have  known. 

3  Grace  flies  before,  and  love  attends 

His  steps  where'er  he  goes ; 
Though  none  can  see  him  but  his  friends. 
And  they  were  once  his  foes. 


Hymn  14.  Seeking^  Sre.  585 

4  He  speaks — obedient  to  his  call 
Our  warm  affections  move  ; 
Did  he  but  shine  alike  on  all, 
Then  all  alike  would  love. 

5>  Then  love  in  evVy  heart  would  reign^ 
And  war  would  cease  to  roar ; 
And  cruel  and  blood-thirsty  men 
Would  thirst  for  blood  no  more. 

6  Such  Jesus  is,  and  sUch  his  grace. 
Oh  may  he  shine  on  you  ! 
And  tell  him,  when  you  see  his  face, 
I  long  to  see  him  too*. 


XIV.     Rest  for  lAeary  Souls. 

1  Does  the  Gospel- word  proclaim 

Rest  for  those  who  weary  bef  ? 
Then,  my  soul,  put  in  thy  claim, 

Sure  that  promise  speaks  to  thee : 
Marks  of  grace  I  cannot  show, 

All  polluted  is  my  best ; 
Yet  I  weary  am,  I  know, 

And  the  weary  long  for  rest. 

2  Burden'd  with  a  load  of  sin, 

Harass'd  with  tormenting  doubt, 
Hourly  conflicts  from  within, 

Hourly  crosses  from  without : 
All  my  little  strength  is  gone, 

Sink  I  must  without  supply  ; 
Sure  upon  the  earth  is  none 
Can  more  weary  be  than  I. 

*  Cant.  V.  8.  t  Matth.  xi.  28. 

Vol.  ITT.  4.  F 


586  Conflict.  Book  III. 

3  In  the  ark  the  \v'eary  dove 

Found  a  welcome  resting-place*  ; 
Thus  my  spirit  longs  to  prove 

Rest  in  Christ,  the  ark  of  grace  : 
Tempest-toss'd  I  long  have  been, 

And  the  flood  increases  fast ; 
Open,  Lord,  and  take  me  in, 

Till  the  storm  be  overpast. 

4  Safely  lodg'd  within  thy  breast, 

What  a  wondrous  change  I  find  ! 
Now  I  know  thy  promised  rest 

Can  compose  a  troubled  mind : 
You  that  weary  are  like  me, 

Hearken  to  the  Gospel- call ; 
To  the  ark  for  refuge  flee, 

Jesus  will  receive  you  all ! 


SIMILAR  HYMNS. 

Book  I.       Hymns  45.  69.  82,  83,  84.  96. 
Book  11.     Hymn  29. 


III.  CONFLICT. 

XV.     C.     Light  shining  out  of  Darknesa. 

1  God  moves  in  a  mysterious  wa}% 
His  wonders  to  perform  ; 
He  plants  his  footsteps  in  the  sea, 
And  rides  upon  the  storm. 
*  Gen.  viii.  9, 


Hymn  16.  Coiijikt.  587 

2  Deep  in  unfathomable  mines 

Of  never-failing  skill, 
He  treasures  up  his  bright  designs, 
And  works  his  sov'reign  will. 

3  Ye  fearful  saints,  fresh  courage  take, 

The  clouds  ye  so  much  dread 
Are  big  with  mercy,  and  shall  break 
In  blessings  on  your  head. 

4  Judge  not  the  Lord  by  feeble  sense, 

But  trust  him  for  his  grace ; 
Behind  a  frowning  providence 
He  hides  a  smiling  face. 

5  His  purposes  will  ripen  fast, 

Unfolding  ev'ry  hour ; 
The  bud  may  have  a  bitter  taste, 
But  sweet  will  be  the  flow'r. 

6  Blind  unbelief  is  sure  to  err*. 

And  scan  his  work  in  vain  ; 
God  is  his  own  interpreter. 
And  he  will  make  it  plain. 

XVI.     C.       Welcome  Cross. 

1  *Tis  my  happiness  below  ' 

Not  to  live  without  the  cross, 
But  the  Saviour's  pow'r  to  know, 

Sanctifying  ev'iy  loss : 
Trials  must  and  will  befall ; 

But  Avith  humble  faith  to  see 
Love  inscrib'd  upon  them  all, 

This  is  happiness  to  me. 

*  John  xiii.  7. 


588  Conjiict.  Book  111. 

2  God,  in  Israel,  sows  the  seeds 

Of  affliction,  pain,  and  toil ; 
These  spring  up,  and  choke  the  weeds 

Which  would  else  o'erspread  the  soil : 
Trials  make  the  promise  sweet, 

Trials  give  new  life  to  pray'r ; 
Trials  bring  me  to  his  feet. 

Lay  me  low,  and  keep  me  there. 

3  Did  I  meet  no  trials  here. 

No  chastisement  b)'^  the  way  ; 
Might  I  not,  with  reason,  fear 

I  should  prove  a  cast-away  : 
Bastards  may  escape  the  rod*, 

Sunk  in  earthly,  vain  delight ; 
But  the  true-born  child  of  God 

Must  not,  would  not,  if  he  might. 


XVII.     C.     AfflictioiiH  sanctified  by  the  Word. 

1  O  HOW  I  love  thy  hoi}-  word, 
Thy  gracious  covenant,  O  Lord  ■ 
It  guides  me  in  the  peaceful  way, 
I  think  upon  it  all  the  day. 

2  What  are  the  mines  of  shining  ^vealth, 
The  strength  of  youth,  the  bloom  of  health 
What  are  all  joys  compiu'd  with  those 
Thine  everlasting  word  bestows  ! 

3  Long  unafflictcd,  undismay'd, 

In  pleasure's  path  secure  I  stray 'd  ; 
Thou  mad'st  mc  feel  thy  chast'ning  rod, 
And  strait  I  turned  unto  my  Godf. 
*  Hcfe.  xii.  8.  f  Psalm  cxix.  71. 


Hymn  18.  Conflict .  589 

4  What  though  it  pierc'd  my  fainting  heart, 
I  bless  thine  hand  that  caus'd  the  smart ; 
It  taught  my  tears  a  while  to  flow, 

But  sav'd  me  from  eternal  wo. 

5  Oh  !  hadst  thou  left  me  unchastis'd, 
Thy  precept  I  had  still  despis'd  ; 
And  still  the  snare  in  secret  laid, 
Had  my  unwary  feet  betray  *d. 

6  I  love  thee,  therefore,  O  my  God, 
And  breathe  towards  thy  dear  abode ; 
XA-^here  in  thy  presence  fully  blest, 
Thy  chosen  saints  for  ever  rest. 


XVIII.     C.      Teviptation. 

1  The  billows  swell,  the  winds  are  highj 
Clouds  overcast  my  wintry  sky  ; 

Out  of  the  depths  to  thee  I  call. 

My  fears  are  great,  my  strength  is  small. 

2  O  Lord,  the  pilot's  part  perform, 

And  guide  and  guard  me  through  the  storm ; 
Defend  me  from  each  threatening  ill, 
Control  the  waves,  say,  "  Peace,  be  still.'* 

3  Amidst  the  roaring  of  the  sea. 

My  soul  still  hangs  her  hopes  on  thee  ; 
Thy  constant  love,  thy  faithful  care, 
Is  all  that  saves  me  from  despair. 

4  Dangers  of  ev'ry  shape  and  name 
Attend  the  followers  of  the  Lamb, 
Who  leave  the  world's  deceitful  shore, 
And  leave  it  to  return  no  more. 


590  Vonflkt.  Book  III. 

5  Though  tempest-toss'd,  and  half  a  wreck, 
My  Saviour  through  the  floods  I  seek  j 
Let  neither  winds  nor  stormy  main 
Force  back  my  shattered  bark  again. 


XIX.     C.     Looking  ufiivards  in  a  Storm,. 

1  God  of  my  Hfe,  to  thee  I  call, 
Afflicted  at  thy  feet  I  fall  ; 

When  the  great  water-floods  prevail, 
Leave  not  my  trembling  heart  to  fail*  ! 

2  Friend  of  the  friendless,  and  the  faint ! 
Where  should  I  lodge  my  deep  complaint  ? 
Where,  but  with  thee,  whose  open  door 
Invites  the  helpless  and  the  poor  ? 

3  Did  ever  mourner  plead  w-ith  thee, 
And  thou  refuse  that  mourner's  plea  ? 
Does  not  the  w^orld  still  fix'd  remain, 
That  none  shall  seek  thy  face  in  vain  ? 

4  That  were  a  grief  I  could  not  bear. 
Didst  thou  not  hear  and  answer  pray'r  ; 
But  a  pray'r-hearing,  answ'ring  God, 
Supports  me  under  ev'ry  load. 

5  Fair  is  the  lot  that's  cast  for  me  ; 
I  have  an  advocate  w^ith  thee  ; 
They  whom  the  world  caresses  most, 
Have  no  such  privilege  to  boast. 

6  Poor  though  I  am,  despis'd,  forgotf, 
Yet  God,  my  God,  forgets  me  not ; 
And  he  is  safe,  and  must  succeed. 

For  whom  the  Lord  vouchsafes  to  plead. 
*  Psalm  Ixix.   15.  f  Psalm  xl.  17. 


Hymn  21.  Coiiftict.  ^      591 


XX.  C.    The  Valley  of  the  Shadow  of  D  eat  ft.   ■ 

1  My  soul  is  sad  and  much  dismay'd ; 
See,  Lord,  what  legions  of  my  foes, 
With  fierce  Apollyon  at  their  head, 
My  heav'nly  pilgrimage  oppose  I 

3  See,  from  the  ever-burning  lake, 
How  like  a  smoky  cloud  they  rise  ! 
With  horrid  blasts  my  soul  they  shake, 
With  storms  of  blasphemies  and  lies. 

3  Their  fiery  arrows  reach  the  mark*, 

My  throbbing  heart  with  anguish  tear; 
Each  lights  upon  a  kindred  spark, 
And  finds  abundant  fuel  there. 

4  I  hate  the  thought  that  wrongs  the  Lord ; 

Oh  !  I  would  drive  it  from  my  breast, 
With  thy  own  sharp  two-edged  sword, 
Far  as  the  east  is  from  the  west. 

5  Come  then,  and  chase  the  cruel  host, 

Heal  the  deep  wounds  I  have  receiv'd 
Nor  let  the  pow'rs  of  darkness  boast. 
That  I  am  foil'd,  and  thou  art  griev'd  I 


XXI.   The  Storm  Hushed. 

\  'Tis  past — ^the  dreadful  stormy  night 
Is  gone,  with  all  its  fears  ! 
And  now  I  see  returning  light, 
The  Lord,  my  Sun,  appears- 
*  Eph.  ri.  16. 


292  Conjlici.  Book  III. 

2  The  tempter,  who  but  lately  said, 

I  soon  shall  be  his  prey, 
Has  heard  mv  Saviour's  voice,  and  fled 
With  shame  and  gi'ief  away. 

3  Ah !  Lord,  since  thou  didst  hide  thy  face, 

What  has  my  soul  endur'd  ? 
But  now  'tis  past,  I  feel  thy  grace, 
And  all  my  wounds  are  cur'd ! 

4  Oh  wondrous  change  !  but  just  before 

Despair  beset  me  round, 
I  heard  the  lion's  horrid  roar. 
And  trembled  at  the  sound. 

5  Before  corruption,  guilt,  and  fear, 

My  comforts  blasted  fell ; 
And  unbelief  discover'd  near 
The  dreadful  depths  of  hell. 

6  But  Jesus  pity'd  my  distress, 

He  heard  my  feeble  cry, 
Reveal'd  his  blood  and  righteousness, 
And  brought  salvation  nigh. 

7  Beneath  the  banner  of  his  love 

I  now  secure  remain  ; 
The  tempter  frets,  but  dares  not  move. 
To  break  my  peace  again. 

8  Lord,  since  thou  thus  hast  broke  my  bands. 

And  set  the  captive  free, 
I  would  devote  my  tongue,  my  hands, 
Mj  heart,  my  all,  to  thee. 


Hymn  22.  Conjlict.  593 


XXIl.  ■  Helfi  in  the  Time  of  N'eed. 

\  Unless  the  Lord  had  been  my  stay, 
(With  trembling  joy  my  soul  may  say,} 

My  cruel  foe  had  gain*d  his  end : 
But  he  appear'd  for  my  relief. 
And  Satan  sees,  with  shame  and  grief, 

That  I  have  an  Almighty  Friend, 

2  Oh !  *twas  a  dark  and  trying  hour. 
When  harass'd  by  the  tempter's  pow'r 

I  felt  my  strongest  hopes  decline ! 
You  only  who  have  known  his  arts, 
You  only  who  have  felt  his  darts, 

Can  pity  such  a  case  as  mine. 

3  Loud  in  my  ears  a  charge  be  read, 
(My  conscience  witness'd  all  he  said,) 

My  long  black  list  of  outward  sin  ; 
Then  bringing  forth  my  heart  to  view. 
Too  well  what's  hidden  there  he  knew, 

He  show'd  me  ten  times  worse  within 


4  *Tis  all  too  true,  my  soul  reply'd, 
But  I  remember  Jesus  dy'd. 

And  now  he  fills  a  throne  of  grace  \ 
1*11  go,  as  I  have  done  before, 
His  mercy  I  may  still  implore, 

I  have  his  promise,  "  Seek  my  face." 

5  But  as  when  sudden  fogs  arise, 

The  trees  and  hills,  the  sun  and  skies, 
Are  all  at  once  conceal'd  from  view ; 
So  clouds  of  horror,  black  as  night, 
By  Satan  rais'd,  hid  from  my  sight 
The  throne  of  grace  and  promise  too. 
Vei..  IIT  '  4  G 


594  Coiipci.  Book  111. 

6  Then  while  beset  with  ^lilt  aiid  fear, 
He  try'd  to  urge  me  to  despair, 

He  try'd,  and  he  almost  prevail'd  j 
But  Jesus,  by  a  heav'nly  ray, 
Drove  clouds,  and  guilt,  and  fear  away, 

And  all  the  tempter's  malice  fail'd. 

XXIII.     C.     Peace  after  a  Stor77i. 

1  When  darkness  long  has  veil'd  my  mind, 

And  smiling  day  once  more  appears, 
Then,  my  Redeemer,  then  I  find 
The  folly  of  my  doubts  and  feai^s. 

2  Strait  I  upbraid  my  wand'ring  heart. 

And  blush  that  I  should  ever  be 
Thus  prone  to  act  so  base  a  part 

Or  harbour  one  hiird  thought  of  thee  ! 

3  Oh !  let  me  then  at  length  be  taught 

What  I  am  still  so  slow  to  learn  ; 

That  God  is  love,  and  changes  not, 

,  Nor  knows  the  shadow  of  a  turn. 

4  Sweet  truth,  and  easy  to  repeat ! 

But  when  my  faith  is  sharply  tr}"'d. 
I  fii)d  myself  a  learner  yet, 

Unskilful,  weak,  and  apt  to  slide. 

5  But,  O  my  Lord !  one  look  from  thee 

Subdues  the  disobedient  will ; 
Drives  doubt  and  discontent  away, 
And  thy  rebellious  worm  is  still. 

'j  Thou  art  as  ready  to  forgive. 
As  I  am  ready  to  repine  ; 
Thou,  therefore,  all  the  praise  receive; 
Be  shame  and  self-abhorrence  mine. 


Hymn  24.  Co7tflict.  o9^^' 


XXIV.     C.     Mourning  and  Longing. 

1  The  Saviour  hides  his  face  ! 

My  spirit  thirsts  to  prove 
Renew'd  supplies  of  pard'ning  grace. 
And  never-fading  love. 

2  The  favoured  souls  who  know 

What  glories  shine  in  him, 

Pant  for  his  presence,  as  the  roe 

Pants  for  the  living  stream ! 

3  What  trifles  tease  me  now  ! 

They  swarm  like  summer  flies. 
They  cleave  to  ev'ry  thing  I  do, 
And  swim  before  my  eyes. 

4  How  dull  the  Sabbath-day, 

Without  the  Sabbath's  Lord ! 
How  toilsome  then  to  sing  and  pray. 
And  wait  upon  the  word  ! 

5  Of  all  the  truths  I  hear. 

How  few  delight  my  taste  1 
I  glean  a  berry  here  and  there, 
But  mourn  the  vintage  past. 

6  Yet  let  me,  (as  I  ought,) 

Still  hope  to  be  supply'd ; 
No  pleasure  else  is  worth  a  thought, 
Nor  shall  I  be  deny'd. 

7  Though  I  am  but  a  worm, 

Unworthy  of  his  care, 
The  Lord  will  my  desire  perform, 
,And  grant  me  all  my  prayV. 


Conjiict.  Book  III 


XXV.       Rejoice  the  Soul  of  thy  Servant. 

1  When  my  pray'rs  are  a  burden  and  task^ 

No  wonder  I  little  receive  ; 
O  Lord,  make  me  willing  to  ask, 

Since  thou  art  so  ready  to  give  : 
Although  I  am  bought  with  thy  bloody 

And  all  thy  salvation  is  mine  : 
At  a  distance  from  thee,  my  chief  good, 

I  wander,  and  languish,  and  pine. 

2  Of  thy  goodness  of  old,  when  I  read, 

To  those  who  were  sinners  like  me. 
Why  may  I  not  wrestle  and  plead, 

With  them  a  pai'taker  to  be  ? 
Thine  arm  is  not  short'ned  since  then, 

And  those  who  believe  in  thy  name, 
Ever  find  thou  art  Yea  and  Amen, 

Through  all  generations  the  same* 

3  While  my  spirit  within  me  is  prest, 

With  sorrow,  temptation,  and  fear, 
Like  John,  I  would  flee  to  thy  breast*, 

And  pour  my  complaints  in  thine  ear : 
How  happy  and  favour'd  was  he. 

Who  could  on  thy  bosom  repose ! 
Might  this  favour  be  granted  to  me, 

I'd  smile  at  the  rage  of  my  foes. 

4  I  have  heard  of  thy  wonderful  name, 

How  great  and  exalted  thou  art ; 
But,  ah !  I  confess  to  my  shame. 
It  faintly  impresses  my  heart : 
*  John  xiii.  25. 


Hymn  26.  Conjiia.  &9V 

The  beams  of  thy  glory  ^splay, 
As  Peter  once  saw  thee  appear; 

That,  transported  like  him,  I  may  say, 
"  It  is  good  for  my  soul  to  be  here*." 

5  What  a  sorrow  and  weight  didst  thou  feel, 

When  nail'd,  for  my  sake,  to  the  tree ! 
My  heart  sure  is  harder  than  steel, 

To  feel  no  more  sorrow  for  thee : 
Oh  !  let  me  with  Thomas  descry 

The  wounds  in  thy  hands  and  thy  side, 
And  have  feelings  like  his,  when  I  cry, 

"  My  God  and  my  Saviour  has  dy'df  t" 

6  But  if  thou  hast  appointed  me  still 

To  wrestle,  and  suffer,  and  fight ; 
O  make  me  resign  to  thy  will, 

For  all  thine  appointments  are  right : 
This  mercy,  at  least,  I  entreat, 

That,  knowing  how  vile  I  have  been, 
I,  with  Mary,  may  wait  at  thy  feetf, 

And  weep  o'er  the  pardon  of  sin. 
f 

XXVI.  C.    Self-acguaintancc. 

1  Dear  Lord!  accept  a  sinful  heart, 

Which  of  itself  complains, 
And  mourns,  with  much  and  frequent  smarts 
The  evil  it  contains. 

2  There  fiery  seeds  of  anger  lurk, 

Which  often  hurt  my  frame : 
And  wait  but  for  the  tempter's  work, 
To  fan  them  to  a  flame. 
•  Matth.  xvii.  4.     f  John  xx.  28.     \  Luke  vii.  38. 


59»  Oonflict.  Book  111 

Z  Legality  holds  out  a  bribe 

To  purchase  life  from  thee  ; 
And  discontent  would  fain  prescribe 
How  thou  shalt  deal  with  me. 

4  While  unbelief  withstands  thy  grace, 

And  puts  thy  mercy  by  ; 
Presumption,  with  a  brow  of  brass. 
Says,  "  Give  me,  or  I  die.*' 

5  How  eager  are  my  thoughts  to  roam 

In  quest  of  what  they  love ! 
But  ah !  when  duty  calls  them  home. 
How  heavily  they  move  ! 

6  Oh,  cleanse  me  in  a  Saviour's  blood. 

Transform  me  by  thy  pow'r, 
And  make  me  thy  belov'd  abode, 
And  let  me  rove  no  more. 


XXVII.  Bitter  and  Sweet.- 

1  Kindle,  Saviour,  in  my  heart, 

A  ft? me  of  love  divine ; 
Hear,  for  mine  I  trust  thou  art. 

And  sure  I  would  be  thine  : 
If  my  soul  has  felt  thy  grace, 

If  to  me  thy  name  is  known ; 
Why  should  trifles  fill  the  place 

Due  to  thyself  alone  ? 

2  'Tis  a  strange  mysterious  life 

I  live  from  day  to  day ; 
Light  and  darkness,  peace  and  strife. 
Bear  an  alternate  sway : 


Hymn  28*  Coftfiici.  B99 

When  I  think  the  battle  won, 

I  have  to  fight  it  o'er  again ; 
When  I  say  I'm  overthrown, 

Rehef  I  soon  obtain. 

3  Often  at  the  mercy- seat, 

While  calling  on  thy  name, 
Swarms  of  evil  thoughts  I  meet, 

Which  fill  my  soul  with  shame 
Agitated  in  my  mind. 

Like  a  feather  in  the  air, 
Can  I  thus  a  blessing  find  ? 

My  soul,  can  this  be  pray'r  ? 

4  But  when  Christ,  my  Lord  and  Friend, 

Is  pleas'd  to  show  his  pow'r ; 
All  at  once  my  troubles  end. 

And  I've  a  golden  hour ; 
Then  I  see  his  smiling  face. 

Feel  the  pledge  of  joys  to  come  ; 
Often,  Lord,  repeat  this  grace 

Till  thou  shalt  call  me  home. 


XXVIII.     C.     Prayer /or  Patient^ 

1  Lord,  who  hast  suifer'd  all  for  me, 
My  peace  and  pardon  to  procure, 
The  lighter  cross  I  bear  for  thee, 
Help  me  with  patience  to  endurer. 

Q,  The  storm  of  loud  repining,  hush, 
I  would  in  humble  silence  mourn  ; 
Why  should  th'  unburnt,  though  buminjj^ 
bush, 
Be  angry  as  the  crackling  thorn  ? 


GOO  ConJUcl.  Book  llC 

3  Man  should  not  faint  at  thy  rebuke, 

Like  Joshua  falling  on  his  face*, 
When  the  curs'd  thing  that  Achan  took, 
Brought  Israel  into  just  disgrace. 

4  Perhaps  some  golden  wedge  suppress'd, 

Some  secret  sin  offends  my  God ; 
Perhaps  that  Babylonish  vest, 

Seif-righteousness,  provokes  the  rod. 

5  Ah  !  were  I  buffetted  all  day, 

Mock 'd,crown*d  with  thoms,and  spit  upon; 
I  yet  should  have  no  right  to  say. 
My  great  distress  is  mine  alone. 

6  Let  me  not  angrily  declare 

No  pain  was  ever  sharp  like  mine ; 
Nor  murmur  at  the  cross  I  bear, 
But  rather  weep,  rememb*ring  thine. 

XXIX.     C.     Submission. 

1  O  LoRD)  my  best  desire  fulfil, 

And  help  me  to  resign 
Life,  health,  and  comfort  to  thy  will, 
And  make  thy  pleasure  mine. 

2  Why  should  I  shrink  at  thy  command;, 

Whose  love  forbids  my  fears  ? 
Or  tremble  at  the  gracious  hand 
That  wipes  away  my  tears  ? 

3  No,  let  me  rather  freely  yield 

What  most  I  prize  to  thee  ; 
Who  never  hast  a  good  withheld. 
Or  wilt  withhold  from  me. 

'  Joshua  vti.  10,  11. 


Hymn  SO.  Gonflict.  SOI.        ^ 

4  Thy  favour,  all  my  journey  through, 

Thou  art  engag'd  to  grant ; 
What  else  I  want,  or  think  I  do, 
'Tis  better  still  to  want. ' 

5  Wisdom  and  mercy  guide  my  way, 

Shall  I  resist  them  both  ? 
A  poor  blind  creature  of  a  day, 
And  crushed  before  the  moth ! 

6  But  ah  !  my  inward  spirit  cries, 

Still  bind  me  to  thy  sway  ; 
Else  the  next  cloud  that  veils  my  skies. 
Drives  all  these  thoughts  away. 

XXX.      Why  should  I  complain  ? 

1  When  my  Saviour,  my  Shepherd,  is  near, 

How  quickly  my  sorrows  depart ! 
New  beauties  around  me  appear, 

New  spirits  enliven  my  heart : 
His  presence  gives  peace  to  my  soul, 

And  Satan  assaults  me  in  vain ; 
While  my  Shepherd  his  power  controls, 

I  think  I  no  more  shall  complain. 

2  But  alas!  what  a  change  do  I  find,     [sight ! 

When  my  Shepherd  withdraws  from  my 
My  fears  all  return  to  my  mind. 

My  day  is  soon  chang*d  into  night : 
Then  Satan  his  effort  renews 

To  vex  and  ensnai'e  me  again  : 
All  my  pleasing  enjoyments  I  lose, 

And  can  only  lament  and  compiain. 

3  By  these  changes  I  often  pass  through, 

I  am  taught  my  own  weakness  to  know ; 
I  am  taught  what  my  Shepherd  can  do, 

And  how  much  to  his  mercy  I  owe  : 
Vol.  III.  4  H 


602  Conflict.  Book  III 

It  is  he  that  supports  me  through  all ; 

When  I  faint  he  revives  me  again  ; 
He  attends  to  my  pray'r  when  I  call, 

And  bids  me  no  longer  complain. 

4  Wherefore  then  should  I  murmur  and  grieve  ? 

Since  my  Shepherd  is  always  the  same. 
And  has  promised  he  never  will  leave* 

The  soul  that  confides  in  his  name  : 
To  relieve  me  from  all  that  I  fear, 

He  was  buffetted,  tempted,  and  slain  ; 
And  at  length  he  will  surely  appear, 

Tho*  he  leaves  me  a  while  to  complain. 

5  While  I  dwell  in  an  enemy's  land. 

Can  I  hope  to  be  always  in  peace  ? 
'Tis  enough  that  my  Shepherd's  at  hand. 

And  that  shortly  this  warfare  will  cease  ; 
For  ere  long  he  will  bid  me  removef 

From  this  region  of  sorrow  and  pairu 
To  abide  in  his  presence  above, 

And  then  I  no  more  shall  complain. 


XXXI.     Return^  O  Lordf  how  long, 

1  Return  to  bless  my  waiting  eyes, 

And  cheer  my  mourning  heart,  O  Lord  ! 
Without  thee  all  beneath  the  skies 
No  real  pleasure  can  afford. 

2  When  thy  lov'd  presence  meets  my  sight. 

It  softens  care  and  sweetens  toil ; 
The  Sun  shines  forth  with  double  light, 

The  whole  creation  wears  a  smile. 
*  Jer.  i.  19.  t  Rev.  ii.  10. 


Hymn  S2.  Conflict.  603 

3  Upon  thine  arm  of  love  I  rest, 

Thy  gracious  voice  forbids  my  fear ; 
No  storms  disturb  my  peaceful  breast, 
No  foes  assault  when  thou  art  near. 

4  But,  ah !  since  thou  hast  been  away, 

Nothing  but  trouble  have  I  known ; 
And  Satan  marks  me  for  his  prey, 
Because  he  sees  me  left  alone. 

5  My  sun  is  hid,  my  comforts  lost, 

My  graces  droop,  my  sins  revive ; 
Distrcss'd,  dismay'd,  and  tempest-toss'd. 
My  soul  is  only  just  alive ! 

6  Lord,  hear  my  cr}'^,  and  come  again ! 

Put  all  mine  enemies  to  shame  ; 
And  let  them  see  'tis  not  in  vain 
That  I  have  trusted  in  thy  name. 


XXXII.     Cast  down,  but  not  destroyed. 

1  Though  sore  beset  with  guilt  and  fear, 
I  cannot,  dare  not,  quite  despair ; 

If  I  must  perish,  would  the  Lord 
Have  taught  my  heart  to  love  his  word  ? 
Would  he  have  giv'n  me  eyes  to  see, 
My  danger,  and  my  remedy ; 
Reveal'd  his  name,  and  bid  me  pray, 
Had  he  resolved  to  say  me  nay*  ? 

2  No — though  cast  down,  I  am  not  slain  ; 
I  fall,  but  I  shall  rise  again  f  ; 

The  present,  Satan,  is  thy  hour, 
But  Jesus  shall  control  thy  pow'r : 
*  Judges  xiii.  23.  f  Micah  vii.  8. 


604  Confiici.  Book  III. 

His  love  will  plead  for  my  relief, 

He  hears  my  groans,  he  sees  my  grief; 

Nor  will  he  suffer  thee  to  boast, 

A  soul  that  sought  his  help  was  lost. 

3  'Tis  true,  I  have  unfaithful  been, 
And  griev'd  his  spirit  by  my  sin; 
Yet  still  his  mercy  he'll  reveal. 
And  all  my  wounds  and  follies  heal : 
Abounding  sin,  I  must  confess. 
But  more  abounding  is  his  grace  * ; 
He  once  vouchsaf 'd  for  me  to  bleed, 
And  now  he  lives  my  cause  to  plead. 

4  I'll  cast  myself  before  his  feet, 
I  see  him  on  his  mercy-seat, 

('Tis>  sprinkled  with  atoning  blood  ;) 
There  sinners  find  access  to  God : 
Ye  burden'd  souls,  approach  with  me. 
And  make  the  Saviour's  name  your  plea  y 
Jesus  will  pardon  all  who  come, 
And  strike  our  fierce  accuser  dumb. 


XXXIII.      The  benighted  Traveller. 

1  Forest  beasts,  that  live  by  prey, 
Seldom  show  themselves  by  day  ; 
But  when  day-light  is  withdrawn  f. 
Then  they  rove  and  roar  till  dawn. 

2  Who  can  tell  the  trav'Uer's  fears, 
When  their  horrid  yells  he  hears  ? 
Terror  almost  stops  his  breath. 
While  each  step  he  looks  for  death. 
*  Rom.  V.  20.  t  Psal.  civ.  20. 


Hynm  34.  eonfliet,  605 

3  Thus  when  Jesus  is  in  view, 
Cheerful  I  my  way  pursue  ; 
Walking  by  my  Saviour's  light, 
Nothing  can  my  soul  affright. 

4  But  when  he  forbears  to  shine, 
Soon  the  traveler's  case  is  mine ; 
Lost,  benighted,  struck  with  dread, 
What  a  painful  path  I  tread ! 

5  Then  my  soul  with  terror  hears 
Worse  than  lions,  wolves,  or  bears. 
Roaring  loud  in  ev'ry  part. 
Through  the  forest  of  my  heart. 

6  Wrath,  impatience,  envy,  pride, 
Satan  and  his  host  beside, 
Press  around  me  to  devour ; 
How  can  I  escape  their  pow'r  ? 

7  Gracious  Lord,  afford  me  light. 
Put  these  beasts  of  prey  to  flight ; 
Let  thy  pow'r  and  love  be  shown  * ; 
Save  me,  for  I  am  thine  own. 


XXXIV.   The  Prisoner. 

1  Wh  E  N  the  poor  prisoner  through  a  grate 

Sees  others  walk  at  large. 
How  does  he  mourn  his  lonely  state, 
And  long  for  a  discharge ! 

2  Thus  I,  confin'd  in  unbelief, 

My  loss  of  freedom  mourn  ; 
And  spend  my  hours  in  fruitless  grief, 
Until  my  Lord  return.. 
*  Psal.  cxix.  94. 


GOG  Conflict,  Book  111. 

3  The  beam  of  day,  which  pierces  through 

The  gloom  in  which  I  dwell, 
Only  discloses  to  my  view 
The  horrors  of  my  cell. 

4  Ah !  how  my  pensive  spirit  faints, 

To  think  of  former  days  ! 
When  I  could  triumph  with  the  saints, 
And  join  their  songs  of  praise. 

5  But  now  my  joys  are  all  cut  off, 

In  prison  I  am  cast ; 
And  Satan,  with  a  cruel  scoff. 

Says,  "  Where's  your  God  at  last*?" 

6  Dear  Saviour,  for  thy  mercy's  sake, 

My  strong,  my  only  plea. 
These  gates  and  bars  in  pieces  break, 
And  set  the  pris'ner  freef! 

7  Surely  my  soul  shall  sing  to  thee, 

For  liberty  restor'd ; 
And  all  thy  saints  admire  to  sec 
The  mercies  of  the  Lord. 


XXXV.      Perplexity  relieved. 

1  Uncertain  how  the  way  to  find 

Which  to  salvation  led, 
I  listen'd  long,  with  anxious  mind, 
To  heai'  what  others  said. 

2  When  some  of  joys  and  comforts  told, 

I  fear'd  that  I  was  wrong ; 
For  I  was  stupid,  dead,  and  cold. 
Had  neither  joy  nor  song. 
*  Psal.  cxv.  2.  t  Psal.  cxlii.  7. 


Hymn  36.  €o7iJlict.  607 

3  The  Lord  my  lab'ring  heart  reliev'd, 

And  made  my  burden  light ; 
Then  for  a  moment  I  believ'd, 
Supposing  all  was  right. 

4  Of  fierce  temptations  others  talk'd, 

Of  anguish  and  dismay, 
Through  what  distresses  they  had  walk'd, 
Before  they  found  the  way. 

5  Ah !  then  I  thought  my  hopes  were  vain, 

For  I  had  liv'd  at  ease  ; 
I  wish'd  for  all  my  fears  again, 
To  make  me  more  like  these. 

6  I  had  my  wish ;  the  Lord  disclosed 

The  evils  of  my  heart, 
And  left  my  naked  soul  expos'd 
To  Satan's  fiery  dart. 

7  Alas  !  "  I  now  nmst  give  it  up," 

I  cry'd  in  deep  despair  ; 
How  could  I  dream  of  drawing  hope. 
From  what  I  cannot  bear ! 

8  Again  my  Saviour  brought  me  aid, 

And  when  he  set  me  free, 
"  Trust  simply  on  my  word,"  he  said, 
"  And  leave  the  rest  to  me." 


XXXVI.       Prayer  anewered  by   Crosses-. 

I  I  ask'd  the  Lord,  that  I  might  grow 
In  faith  and  love,  and  ev'ry  grace  ; 
Might  more  of  his  salvation  know, 
And  seek  more  eamestlv  his  face. 


608  Conflict.  Book  III. 

2  'Twas  he  who  taught  me  thus  to  pray, 

And  he,  I  trust,  has  answer'd  pray'r ; 
But  it  has  been  in  such  a  way, 
As  almost  drove  me  to  despair. 

3  I  hop'd  that  in  some  favour 'd  hour, 

At  once  he'd  answer  my  request ; 
And  by  his  love's  constraining  pow'r, 
Subdue  my  sins,  and  give  me  rest. 

4  Instead  of  this,  he  made  me  feel 

The  hidden  evils  of  my  heart ; 
And  let  the  angry  pow'rs  of  hell 
Assault  my  soul  in  ev'ry  part. 

5  Yea  more,  with  his  own  hand  he  seem*d 

Intent  to  aggravate  my  wo ; 
Cross 'd  all  the  fair  designs  I  schem'd, 
Blasted  my  gourds,  and  laid  me  low. 

6  Lord,  why  is  this,  I  trembling  cry*d, 

,  Wilt  thou  pursue  thy  worm  to  death  ? 

"  'Tis  in  this  way,*'  the  Lord  reply'd, 
*'  I  answer  pray'r  for  grace  and  faith. 

7  "  These  inward  trials  I  employ, 

"  From  self  and  pride  to  set  thee  free  ; 
"  And  break  thy  schemes  of  earthly  joy, 
"  That  thou  may'st  seek  thy  all  in  me." 


XXXVII.      I  taill  trusty  a7id  not  be  afraid. 

1  Begone,  unbelief, 
My  Saviour  is  near, 
And  for  my  relief 
Will  surely  appear : 


Hymn  37.  Conjlict.  ,  t'OO 

By  pray'r  let  me  wrestle, 

And  he  will  perform ; 
With  Christ  in  the  vessel, 

I  smile  at  the  storm. 

2  Though  dark  be  my  way. 

Since  he  is  my  guide, 
'Tis  mine  to  obey, 

*Tis  his  to  provide ; 
Though  cisterns  be  broken,, 

And  creatures  all  fail. 
The  word  he  has  spoken 

Shall  surely  prevail. 

3  His  love  in  time  past 

Forbids  me  to  think 
He'll  leave  me  at  last, 

In  trouble  to  sink ; 
Each  sweet  Ebenezer 

I  have  in  review. 
Confirms  his  good  pleasure 

To  help  me  quite  through. 

4  Determin'd  to  save. 

He  watch'd  o'er  my  path. 
When,  Satan's  blind  slave, 

I  sported  with  death ; 
And  can  he  have  taught  me  : 

To  trust  in  his  name. 
And  thus  far  have  brought  mc, 

To  put  me  to  shame  ? 

5  Why  should  I  complain 

Of  want  or  distress, 
Temptation  or  pain  ? 
He  told  me  no  less : 
Vol.  III.  4  I 


610  i^onjtict.  Book  III. 

The  heirs  of  salvation, 

I  know  from  his  word, 
Through  much  tribulation 

Must  follow  their  Lord*. 

6  How  bitter  that  cup, 

No  heart  can  conceive, 
Which  he  drank  quite  up, 

That  sinners  might  live ! 
His  way  was  much  rougher 

And  darker  than  mine ; 
Did  Jesus  thus  suffer, 

And  shall  I  repine  ? 

7  Since  all  that  I  meet 

Shall  work  for  my  good, 
The  bitter  is  sweet, 

The  med'cine  is  food ; 
Though  painful  at  present, 

'Twill  cease  before  long, 
And  then,  oh  !  how  pleasant 

The  conqueror's  songf ! 


XXXVIII.     Questions  to  Unbelief. 

If  to  Jesus  for  relief 

My  soul  has  fled  by  pray'r, 
Why  should  I  give  way  to  grief, 

Or  heart-consuming  care  ? 
Are  not  all  things  in  his  hand  ? 

Has  he  not  his  promise  past  ? 
Will  he  then  regardless  stand. 

And  let  me  sink  at  last  ? 

•  Acts  xiv.  22.  t  Rom.  viii.  37. 


Ijymn  38.  Conflict,  6^^ 

2  While  I  know  his  providence 

Disposes  each  event, 
Shall  I  judge  by  feeble  sense, 

And  yield  to  discontent  ? 
If  he  worms  and  sparrows  feed, 

Clothe  the  grass  in  rich  array*, 
Can  he  see  a  child  in  need, 

And  turn  his  eye  away  ? 

3  When  his  name  was  quite  unknown. 

And  sin  my  life  employ  *d ; 
Then  he  watch'd  me  as  his  own. 

Or  I  had  been  destroy  *d : 
Now  his  mercy-seat  I  know, 

Now  by  grace  am  reconcil'd ; 
Would  he  spare  me  while  a  foe, 

To  leave  me  when  a  child  f  ? 

4  If  he  all  my  wants  supply 'd, 

When  I  disdain*d  to  pray. 
Now  his  Spirit  is  my  guide, 

How  can  he  say  me  nay  ? 
If  he  would  not  give  me  up 

When  my  soul  against  him  fought, 
Will  he  disappoint  the  hope 

Which  he  himself  has  wrought  ? 

5  If  he  shed  his  precious  blood 

To  bring  me  to  his  fold. 

Can  I  ttunk  that  meaner  good 

He  ever  will  withhold  J  ? 

*  Matt.  vi.  26.    t  Rom.  v.  10.    %  Roj».  viii.  32. 


61S  Conflict.  Book  III. 

Satan,  vain  is  thy  device  ! 

Here  my  hope  rests  well  assur'd, 
In  that  great  redemption-price, 

I  see  the  whole  secur'd. 


XXXIX.   Great  Effects  by  weak  Means. 

1  Unbelief  the  soul  dismays 
What  objections  will  it  raise ! 
But  true  faith  securely  leans 
On  the  promise,  in  the  means. 

2  If  to  faith  it  once  be  knoAMi,* 
God  has  said,  "  It  shall  be  done, 
*'  And  in  this  appointed  way  ;" 
Faith  has  then  no  more  to  say. 

3  Moses*  rod,  by  faith  uprear'd, 
Through  the  sea  a  path  prepar'd*  ; 
Jericho's  devoted  wall 

At  the  trumpet's  sound  must  fallf. 

4  With  a  pitcher  and  a  lamp, 
Gideon  overthrew  a  camp| ; 
And  a  stone,  well  aim'd  by  faith, 
Prov'd  the  arm'd  Pliilistine's  death  §. 

5  Thus  the  Lord  is  pleas'd  to  try 
Those  who  on  his  help  rely ; 

By  the  means  he  makes  it  known, 
That  the  pow'r  is  all  his  own. 

*  Exod.  xiv.  21.         t  Joshua  vi.  20. 
I  Judges  vii.  22.        §  l  Sam.  xvii.  49. 


Hymn  40.  Conflict.  613 

6  Yet  the  means  are  not  in  vain, 
If  the  end  we  would  obtain ; 
Though  the  breath  of  pray'r  be  weak, 
None  shall  find  but  they  who  seek. 

7  God  alone  the  heart  can  reach, 
Yet  the  ministers  must  preach ; 
'Tis  their  part  the  seed  to  sow, 
And  'tis  his  to  make  it  grow. 


XL.      Why  art  thou  cast  down  ? 

1  Be  still,  my  heart !  these  anxious  cares 
To  thee  are  burdens,  thorns,  and  snares  ; 
They  cast  dishonour  on  thy  Lord, 
And  contradict  his  gracious  word. 

2  Brought  safely  by  his  hand  thus  far, 
Why  wilt  thou  now  give  place  to  fear  ? 
How  canst  thou  want  if  he  provide, 

Or  lose  thy  way  with  such  a  guide  ? 

3  When  first  before  his  mercy-seat, 
Thou  didst  to  him  thy  all  commit ; 
He  gave  thee  warrant  from  that  hour. 
To  trust  his  wisdom,  love,  and  pow'r. 

4  Did  ever  trouble  yet  befall, 
And  he  refuse  to  hear  thy  call  ? 
And  has  he  not  his  promise  past, 
That  thou  shalt  overcome  at  last  ? 

5  Like  David,  thou  may'st  comfort  draw, 
>Sav'd  from  the  bear's  and  lion's  paw ; 
Goliath's  rage  I  may  defy. 

For  God,  my  Saviour,  still  is  nigh. 


614)  Ccri^ict.  Book  UI. 

6  He  who  has  help'd  me  hitherto, 
Will  help  me  all  my  jotirney  through, 
And  give  me  daily  cause  to  raise 
New  Ebenezers  to  his  praise. 

7  Though  rough  and  thorny  be  the  road, 
It  leads  the  home  apace  to  God ; 
Then  count  thy  present  trials  small. 
For  heav'n  will  make  amends  for  all. 


XLI.      The  Way  of  Access. 

1  One  glance  of  thine,  eternal  Lord, 

Pierces  all  nature  through  ; 
Nor  heav'n,  nor  earth,  nor  hell,  afford 
A  shelter  from  thy  view  I 

2  The  mighty  whole,  each  smaller  part. 

At  once  before  thee  lies ; 
And  ev  Vy  thought  of  ev'ry  heart 
Is  open  to  thine  eyes. 

3  Though  greatly  from  myself  conceal'd, 

Thou  see'st  my  inward  frame  ; 
To  thee  I  always  stand  reveal'd, 
Exactly  as  I  am. 

4  Since  therefore  I  can  hardly  bear 

What  in  myself  I  see  ; 
How  vile  and  black  must  I  appear, 
Most  holy  God,  to  thee  ? 

5  But  since  my  Saviour  stands  betweeUj 

In  garments  dy'd  in  blood, 

'Tis  he,  instead  of  me,  is  seen. 

When  I  approach  to  God. 


Hymn  42.  Conflict,  615 

6  Thus,  though  a  sinner,  I  am  safe ; 

He  pleads  before  the  throne 

His  life  and  death  in  my  behalf. 

And  calls  my  sins  his  own. 

7  What  wondrous  love,  what  mysteries, 

In  this  appointment  shine  ! 

My  breaches  of  the  law  are  his, 

And  his  obedience  mine*. 


XLII.     The  Pilgrim's  Sovg. 

\  From  Egypt  lately  freed 
By  the  Redeemer's  grace, 
A  rough  and  thorny  path  we  tread, 
In  hopes  to  see  his  face. 

2  The  flesh  dislikes  the  way, 

But  faith  approves  it  well ; 
This  only  leads  to  endless  day, 
All  others  lead  to  hell. 

3  The  promis'd  land  of  peace 

Faith  keeps  in  constant  view ; 
How  differ'nt  from  the  wilderness 
We  now  are  passing  through ! 

4  Here  often  from  our  eyes 

Clouds  hide  the  light  divine ; 
There  we  shall  have  unclouded  skies, 
Our  Sun  will  always  shine. 

5  Here  griefs,  and  cares,  and  pains, 

And  fears,  distress  us  sore ; 

But  there  eternal  pleasure  reigns, 

And  we  shall  weep  no  more. 

*  2  Cor.  V.  21. 


616  Comfm-l.  Book  III. 

6  Lord,  pardon  our  complaints, 
We  follow  at  thy  call ; 
The  joy  prcpar'd  for  suff'ring  saints 
Will  make  amends  for  all. 


SIMILAR  HYMNS. 

Book  I.  Hymns  10,  13,  21,  22,  24,  27,  40, 
43,  44,  51,  56,  63,  76,  88,  107, 
115,  126,  130,  131,  136,  142, 

Book  II.     Hymns  30,  31,  84,  87,  92. 


IV.    COMFORT. 

XLIII.     Faith  a  nev)  and  comfirehenaive  Sense. 

1  Sight,  hearing,  feeling,  taste,  and  smell, 

Are  gifts  we  highly  prize ; 

But  faith  does  singly  each  excel, 

And  all  the  five  comprise. 

2  More  piercing  than  the  eagle*s  sight, 

It  views  the  world  unknown, 
Surveys  the  glorious  realms  of  light, 
And  Jesus  on  the  throne. 

3  It  hears  the  mighty  voice  of  God, 

And  ponders  what  he  saith  ; 
His  word  and  works,  his  gifts  and  rod, 
Have  each  a  voice  to  faith. 


Hymn  44.  Comfort.  617 

4  It  feels  the  touch  of  heav'nly  pow'r*, 

And  from  that  boundless  source, 
Derives  fresh  vigour  ev'ry  hour 
To  run  its  daily  course. 

5  The  truth  and  goodness  of  the  Lord 

Are  suited  to  its  taste  f  ; 
Mean  is  the  worldling's  pamper *d  hoard, 
To  faith's  perpetual  feast. 

6  It  smells  the  dear  Redeemer's  name 

Like  ointment  poured  forth| ; 
Faith  only  knows,  or  can  proclaim, 
Its  savour  or  its  worth. 

7  Till  saving  faith  possess  the  mind, 

In  vain  of  sense  we  boast ; 
We  are  but  senseless,  tasteless,  blind, 
And  deaf,  and  dead,  and  lost. 

XLIV.  C.    The  hafifiy  Change, 

1  How  blest  thy  creature  is,  O  God, 

When,  with  a  single  eye, 
He  views  the  lustre  of  thy  word. 
The  day  spring  from  on  high ! 

2  Through  all  the  storms  that  veil  the  skies, 

And  frown  on  earthly  things  ; 
The  Sun  of  righteousness  he  eyes, 
With  healing  on  his  wings. 

3  Struck  by  that  light,  the  human  heart, 

A  barren  soil  no  more. 
Sends  the  sweet  smell  of  grace  abroad^, 
Where  serpents  lurk'd  before  §. 

*  Luke  viii.  46.  t  Paal.  cxix.  10^» 

\  Solomon's  Song,  i.  3.      §  Isa.  xxxv.  7. 

Vol.  III.  4  K 


618  Comfort.  Book  IJI. 

4  The  soul,  a  dreary  province  once 

Of  Satan's  dark  domain, 
Feels  a  new  empire  form'd  within, 
And  owns  u  heav'nly  reign. 

5  The  glorious  orb,  whose  golden  beams 

The  fruitful  year  control, 
Since  first,  obedient  to  thy  word, 
He  started  from  tlie  goal, 

6  Has  cheer 'd  the  nations  with  the  joys 

His  orient  rays  impart ; 
But,  Jesus,  tis  thy  light  alone 
Can  shine  upon  the  heart. 


XLV.  C-  Retiremeyit. 

1  Far  from  the  world,  O  Lord,  I  flee, 
From  strife  and  tumult  far; 
From  scenes  where  Satan  Avages  still 
His  most  successful  war. 

'2  The  calm  retreat,  the  silent  shade, 
With  pra-  'r  and  praise  agree ; 
And  seem  by  thy  sweet  bounty  made, 
For  those  who  follow  thee. 

3  There  if  thy  Spirit  touch  the  soul, 
And  grace  her  mean  abode. 
Oh,  with  what  peace  and  joy,  and  love, 
She  communes  with  her  God ! 

•t  There,  like  the  nightingale,  she  pours 
Her  solitary  lays ; 
Nor  asks  a  witness  of  her  song, 
Nor  thirsts  for  human  praise. 


JHymn  46.  Comfort.  619 

5  Author  and  Guardian  of  my  life, 

Sweet  source  of  light  divine, 
And,  (all  harmonious  names  in  one,) 
My  Saviour,  thou  art  mine ! 

6  What  thanks  I  owe  thee,  and  what  love, 

A  boundless,  endless  store, 
Shall  echo  through  the  realms  above 
When  time  shall  be  no  more. 

XLVI.   Jesus  my  all. 

1  Why  should  I  fear  the  darkest  hour, 
Or  tremble  at  the  tempter's  pow*r  ? 
Jesus  vouchsafes  to  be  my  tow'r. 

2  Though  hot  the  fight,  why  quit  the  field  ? 
Why  must  I  either  flee  or  yield. 

Since  Jesus  is  my  mighty  shield? 

3  When  creature-comforts  fade  and  die, 
Worldlings  may  weep  ;  but  why  should  I  ? 
Jesus  still  lives,  and  still  is  nigh. 

4  Though  all  the  flocks  and  herds  were  dead, 
My  soul  a  famine  need  not  dread, 

For  Jesus  is  my  living  bread. 

5  I  know  not  what  may  soon  betide, 
Or  how  my  wants  shall  be  supply  d ; 
But  Jesus  knows,  and  will  provide. 

'6  Though  sin  would  fill  me  with  distress, 
The  throne  of  grace  I  dai'e  address. 
For  Jesus  is  my  righteousness. 

7  Though  faint  my  pray'rs,  and  cold  my  love, 
My  steadfast  hope  shall  not  remove, 
While  Jesus  intercedes  above. 


620  Comfm-t.  Book  II L 

8  Against  me  earth  and  hell  combine  ; 
But  on  my  side  is  pow'r  divine ; 
Jesus  is  all,  and  he  is  mine. 


XL VII.  C.   The  Hidden  Life. 

1  To  tell  the  Saviour  all  my  wants, 

How  pleasing  is  the  task  ! 
Nor  less  to  praise  him  when  he  grants 
Beyond  what  I  can  ask. 

2  My  lab 'ring  spirit  vainly  seeks 

To  tell  but  half  the  joy  ; 
With  how  much  tenderness  he  speaks. 
And  helps  me  to  reply. 

3  Nor  were  it  wise,  nor  should  I  choose 

Such  secrets  to  declare  ; 
Like  precious  wines,  their  taste  they  lose 
Expos 'd  to  open  air. 

4  But  this  with  boldness  I  proclaim. 

Nor  care  if  thousands  hear. 
Sweet  is  the  ointment  of  his  name, 
Not  life  is  half  so  dear. 

5  i\nd  can  you  frown,  my  former  friends, 

Who  knew  what  once  I  was  ; 
And  blame  the  song  that  thus  commends 
The  man  who  bore  the  cross  ? 

()  Trust  me,  I  draw  the  likeness  true, 
And  not  as  fancy  paints  ; 
Such  honour  may  he  give  to  you, 
For  such  have  all  his  saints. 


Hymii  48,  Comfort.  621 


XLVIII.     Joy  and  Peace  in  believing. 

1  Sometimes  alight  surprises 

The  Christian  while  he  sings  ; 
It  is  the  Lord  who  rises 

With  healing  in  his  wings  : 
When  comforts  are  declining, 

He  grants  the  soul  again 
A  season  of  clear  shining, 

To  cheer  it  after  rain. 

2  In  holy  contemplation, 

We  sweetly  then  pursue 
The  theme  of  God's  salvation, 

And  find  it  ever  new  : 
Set  free  from  present  sorrow, 

We  cheerfully  can  say, 
E'en  let  th'  unknown  to-morrow* 

Bring  with  it  what  it  may. 

3  It  can  bring  with  it  nothing 

But  he  will  bear  us  through  ; 
Who  gives  the  lilies  clothing. 

Will  clothe  his  people  too  : 
Beneath  the  spreading  heavens, 

No  creature  but  is  fed  ; 
And  he  who  feeds  the  ravens. 

Will  give  his  children  bread. 

4  Though  vine  nor  fig-tree  neither 

Their  wonted  fruit  shall  bear. 

Though  all  the  field  should  wither, 

Nor  flocks  nor  herds  be  there  : 

*  Matth.  vi.  34. 


622  Comfort.  Book  HI. 

Yet  God  the  same  abiding, 

His  praise  shall  tune  my  voice  ; 
For  while  in  him  confiding, 

I  cannot  but  rejoice*. 


XLIX.     C.      True  Pleasumt. 

1  Lord,  my  soul  with  pleasure  springs, 

When  Jesus'  name  I  hear ; 
And  when  God  the  Spirit  brings 

The  word  of  promise  near  : 
Beauties,  too,  in  holiness, 

Still  delighted  I  perceive ; 
Nor  have  words  that  can  express 

The  joys  thy  precepts  give. 

2  Cloth'd  in  sanctity  and  grace, 

How  sweet  it  is  to  see 
Those  who  love  thee  as  they  pass. 

Or  when  they  wait  on  thee  ! 
Pleasant  too,  to  sit  and  tell 

What  we  owe  to  love  divine  ; 
Till  our  bosoms  grateful  swell, 

And  e}es  begin  to  shine. 

3  Those  the  comforts  I  possess, 

Which  God  shall  still  increase, 
All  his  ways  are  pleasantness. 

And  all  his  paths  are  peace  f. 
Nothing  Jesus  did  or  spoke. 

Henceforth  let  me  ever  slight ; 
For  i  love  his  easy  yoke. 

And  find  his  burden  light  J. 

♦  liHoakkuk  iii.  17;  18.    f  Prov.  iii.  17.  :^  Matt.  xi.  30. 


Hymn  51.  Comfort,  623 

L.     C.       The  Christian. 

1  Honour  and  happiness  unite 

To  make  the  Christian's  name  a  praise  : 
How  fair  the  scene,  how  clear  the  Hght, 
That  fills  the  remnant  of  his  days ! 

2  A  kingly  character  he  bears, 

No  change  his  priestly  oifice  knows ; 
Unfading  is  the  crown  he  wears. 
His  joys  can  never  reach  a  close. 

3  Adorn 'd  with  glory  from  on  high, 

Salvation  shines  upon  his  face  ; 
His  robe  is  of  th'  ethereal  dye. 
His  steps  are  dignity  and  grace. 

4  Inferior  honours  he  disdains, 

Nor  stoops  to  take  applause  from  earth  ; 
The  King  of  kings  himself  maintains 
Th'  expenses  of  his  heav'nly  birth. 

5  The  noblest  creature  seen  below, 

Ordain'd  to  fill  a  throne  above ; 
God  gives  him  all  he  can  bestow. 
His  kingdom  of  eternal  love  ! 

C)  My  soul  is  ravish'd  at  the  thought ! 
Methinks  from  earth  I  see  him  rise ; 
Angels  congratulate  his  lot. 

And  shout  him  welcome  to  the  skies ! 

LI.     C.      Livehj  Hope  and  gracious  Fear 

1  I  WAS  a  grov'ling  creature  once,  - 
And  basely  cleav'd  ta  earth ; 
I  wanted  spirit  to  renounce 
The  clod  that  gave  me  birth. 


634  Comfort.  '  Book  III. 

2  But  God  has  breath'd  upon  a  worm, 

And  sent  me,  from  above, 
Wings,  such  as  clothe  an  angel's  form. 
The  wings  of  joy  and  love. 

3  With  these  to  Pisgah's  top  I  fly. 

And  there  delighted  stand, 
To  view  beneath  a  shining  sky. 
The  spacious  promis'd  land. 

4  The  Lord  of  all  the  vast  domain 

Has  promis'd  it  to  me ; 
The  length  and  breadth  of  all  the  plain , 
As  far  as  faith  can  see. 

5  How  glorious  is  my  privilege  ! 

To  thee  for  help  I  call ; 
I  stand  upon  a  mountain's  edge, 
Oh  save  me,  lest  I  fall ! 

6  Though  much  exalted  in  the  Lord, 

My  strength  is  not  my  own  ; 

Then  let  me  tremble  at  his  word. 

And  none  shall  cast  me  down. 

LII.      Confidence. 

1  Yes  !  since  God  himself  has  said  it. 

On  the  promise  I  rely  : 
His  good  word  demands  my  credit, 
What  can  unbelief  reply  ? 

He  is  strong  and  can  fulfil ; 

He  is  truth,  and  therefore  will. 

2  As  to  all  the  doubts  and  questions 

Which  my  spirit  often  grieve. 
These  are  Satan's  sly  suggestions, 
And  I  need  na  answer  give  : 
He  would  fain  destroy  my  hope, 
But  the  promise  bears  it  up. 


Hymn  53.  Comfort,  625 

3  Sure  the  Lord  thus  far  has  brought  me 

By  his  watchful  tender  care ; 
Sure  'tis  he  himself  has  taught  me 
How  to  seek  his  face  by  pray'r : 

After  so  much  mercy  past, 

Will  he  give  me  up  at  last  ? 

4  True,  I've  been  a  foolish  creature, 

And  have  sinn'd  against  his  grace  ; 
But  forgiveness  is  his  nature, 

Though  he  justly  hides  his  face  : 
Ere  he  call'd  me,  well  he  knew 
What  a  heart  like  mine  would  do*. 

5  In  my  Saviour's  intercession 

Therefore  I  will  still  confide ; 
Lord,  accept  my  free  confession, 
I  have  sinn'd,  but  thou  hast  dy'df: 

This  is  all  I  have  to  plead, 

This  is  all  the  plea  I  need. 


LIII.     Peace  restored. 


1  Oh,  speak  that  gracious  word  again, 

And  cheer  my  drooping  heart. 
No  voice  but  thine  can  sooth  my  pain, 
Or  bid  my  fears  depart. 

2  And  canst  thou  still  vouchsafe  to  own 

A  wretch  so  vile  as  I  ? 
And  may  I  still  approach  thy  throne. 

And  Abba,  Father,  cry  ? 
*  Isa.  xlviii.  8.  f  Rom.  viii.  34. 

Vol.  III.  4  L 


626  Comfort.  Book  III. 

3  Oh,  then  let  saints  and  angels  join, 

And  help  me  to  proclaim 
The  grace  that  heal'd  a  breach  like  mine, 
And  put  my  foes  to  shame  ! 

4  How  oft  did  Satan's  cruel  boast 

My  troubled  soul  affright ! 
He  told  me  I  was  surely  lost, 
And  God  had  left  me  quite*. 

5  Guilt  made  me  fear,  lest  all  were  true 

The  lying  tempter  said  ; 
But  now  the  Lord  appears  in  view, 
My  enemy  is  fled. 

6  My  Saviour,  by  his  pow'rful  word, 

Has  tuni'd  mj^  night  to  day  ; 
And  his  salvation's  joys  restor'd, 
Which  I  had  sinn'd  away. 

7  Dear  Lord,  I  wonder  and  adore, 

Thy  grace  is  all  divine  ; 
Oh  keep  me,  that  I  sin  no  more 
Agciinst  such  love  as  thine  ! 


LlV.     Hear  what  he  han  done  for  my  Soul . 

Sav'd  by  blood,  I  live  to  tell 

M^hat  the  love  of  Christ  hath  done  ; 
He  redeem'd  my  soul  from  hell, 

Of  a  rebel  made  a  son  : 
Oh  !  I  tremble  still,  to  think 

How  secure  I  liv'd  in  sin  ; 
Sporting  on  destruction's  brink, 

Yet  preserv'd  from  falling  in. 
*  Psd.  Ixxi.  II. 


Hymn  55.   .  Comfort,  027- 

2  In  his  own  appointed  hour, 

To  my  heart  the  Saviour  spoke : 
Touch'd  me  by  his  Spirit's  pow'r, 

And  my  dang'rous  slumber  broke. 
Then  I  saw  and  own'd  my  guilt, 

Soon  my  gracious  Lord  reply 'd : 
*^'  Fear  not,  I  my  blood  have  spilt, 

"  'Twas  for  such  as  thee  I  dy'd." 

3  Shame  and  wonder,  joy  and  love, 

All  at  once  possess'd  my  heart ; 
Can  I  hope  thy  grace  to  prove 

After  acting  such  a  part  ? 
"  Thou  hast  greatly  sinn'd,"  he  said, 

"  But  I  freely  all  forgive  ; 
"  I  myself  thy  debt  have  paid, 

*'  Now  I  bid  thee  rise  and  live." 

4  Come,  my  fellow-sinners,  try ; 

Jesus*  heart  is  full  of  love  ! 
Oh,  that  you,  as  well  as  I, 

May  his  wondrous  mercy  prove  1 
He  has  sent  me  to  declare, 

All  is  ready,  all  is  free  : 
Why  should  any  soul  despair, 

When  he  sav'd  a  wretch  like  me  ? 

LV.  Freedom  from  Care. 

1  While  I  liv'd  without  the  Lord, 

(If  I  might  be  said  to  live,) 
Nothing  could  relief  afford, 
Nothing  satisfaction  give. 

2  Empty  hopes  and  groundless  fear 

Mov'd  by  turns  my  anxious  mind ; 
I..ike  a  feather  in  the  air, 

Made  the  sport  of  cv  ry  wind. 


628  Comfort.  Book  lU. 

3  Now,  I  see,  whate'er  betide, 

All  is  well  if  Christ  be  mine  ; 
He  has  promis'd  to  provide, 
I  have  only  to  resign. 

4  When  a  sense  of  sin  and  thrall 

Forc*d  me  to  the  sinner's  Friend, 
He  engag'd  to  manage  all, 
By  the  way  and  to  the  end. 

5  "  Cast,"  he  said,  "  on  me  thy  care*, 

"  'Tis  enough  that  I  am  nigh; 
"  I  will  all  thy  burdens  bear, 
"  I  will  all  thy  wants  supply. 

6  "  Simply  follow  as  I  lead, 

"  Do  not  reason  but  believe  ; 
<*  Call  on  me  in  time  of  need, 

"  Thou  shalt  surely  help  receive." 

7  Lord,  I  would,  I  do  submit, 

Gladly  yield  my  all  to  thee ; 
What  thy  wisdom  sees  most  fit, 
Must  be,  surely,  best  for  me. 

8  Only  when  the  way  is  rough, 

And  the  coward  flesh  would  start, 
Let  thy  promise  and  thy  love 
Cheer  and  animate  my  heart. 

LVI.  Humiliation  and  Praise. 
(Imitated  from  the  German.) 

1  Wh^n  the  wounded  spirit  hears 
The  voice  of  Jesus'  blood, 
How  the  message  stops  the  tears 
Which  else  in  vain  had  floAv'd  : 

*  Psal.  Iv.  22.;    1  Pet.  V.  r, 


Hymn  56.  '  Comfort. 

Pardon,  grace,  and  peace  proclaim'd, 
And  the  sinner  call'd  a  child ; 

Then  the  stubborn  heart  is  tam'd, 
Renew'd,  and  reconciled. 

2  Oh  !  'twas  grace  indeed,  to  spare 

And  save  a  wretch  like  me  1 
Men  or  angels  could  not  bear 

What  I  have  offer'd  thee  : 
Were  thy  bolts  at  their  command, 

Hell  ere  now  had  been  my  place  ; 
Thou  alone  couldst  silent  stand, 

And  wait  to  show  thy  grace. 

3  If  in  one  created  mind 

The  tenderness  and  love 
Of  thy  saints  on  earth  were  join'd. 

With  all  the  hosts  above  ; 
Still  that  love  were  weak  and  poor, 

If  compar'd,  my  Lord,  with  thine ; 
Far  too  scanty  to  endure 

A  heart  so  vile  as  mine. 

4  Wondrous  mercy  I  have  found, 

But  ah  !  how  faint  my  praise  ! 
Must  I  be  a  cumber-ground, 

Unfruitful  all  my  days  ? 
Do  I  in  thy  garden  grow. 

Yet  produce  thee  only  leaves ! 
Lord,  forbid  it  should  be  so ! 

The  thought  my  spirit  grieves. 

5  Heavy  charges  Satan  brings 

To  fill  me  with  distress ; 
Let  me  hide  beneath  thy  wings. 
And  plead  thy  righteousness. 


630  Comfort.  Book  IIT. 

Lord,  to  thee  for  help  I  call, 

'Tis  thy  promise  bids  me  come  j 
Tell  him  thou  hast  paid  for  all, 

And  that  shall  strike  him  dumb. 


LVII.     C.     For  the  Poor. 

i  Wh  e  n  Hagar  found  the  bottle  spent 
And  wept  o'er  Ishmael ; 
A  message  from  the  Lord  was  sent 
To  guide  her  to  a  well*. 

2  Should  not  Elijah's  cake  and  cruise  f 

Convince  us  at  this  day, 
A  gracious  God  will  not  refuse 
Provisions  by  the  way  ? 

3  His  saints  and  servants  shall  be  fed, 

The  promise  is  secure ; 
"  Bread  shall  be  giv'n  them,"  as  he  said, 
"  Their  water  shall  he  sure|." 

4  Repasts  fcir  richer  they  shall  prove. 

Than  all  earth's  dainties  are  ; 
'Tis  sweet  to  taste  a  Saviour's  love, 
Though  in  the  meanest  fare. 

5  To  Jesus  then  your  trouble  bring, 

Nor  murmur  at  your  lot ; 
While  you  are  poor,  and  he  is  King, 
You  shall  not  be  forgot. 

*Gen.  xxi.  19.     t  1  Kings  xvii.  14.    :{ Isa.  xxxiii.  16. 


Hyrai)  58.  Comfort,  681 

LVIII.  Home  in  View. 

1  As  when  the  weary  trav'Uer  gains 

The  height  of  some  o'erlooking  hill, 
His  heart  revives,  if  cross  the  plains 
He  eyes  his  home,  though  distant  still. 

2  While  he  surveys  the  much-lov'd  spot, 

He  slights  the  space  that  lies  between ; 
His  past  fatigues  are  now  forgot. 
Because  his  journey's  end  is  seen, 

3  Thus,  when  the  Christian  pilgrim  views, 

By  faith  his  mansion  in  the  skies, 
The  sight  his  fainting  strength  renews. 
And  wings  his  speed  to  reach  the  prize : 

4  The  thought  of  home  his  spirit  cheers. 

No  more  he  grieves  for  troubles  past ; 
Nor  any  future  trial  fears, 

So  he  may  safe  arrive  at  last*. 

5  'Tis  there,  he  says,  I  am  to  dwell 

With  Jesus,  in  the  realms  of  day ; 
Then  I  shall  bid  my  cares  farewell. 
And  he  will  wipe  my  tears  away. 

6  Jesus,  on  thee  our  hope  depends. 

To  lead  us  on  to  thine  abode  : 
Assur'd  our  home  will  make  amends 
For  all  our  toil  while  on  the  road. 

SIMILAR  HYMNS. 

Book  I.  Hymns  4,  7,  9,  11, 25,  35,  36, 39, 41, 
46,  47,  48,  70,  95,  128,  132. 
Book  II.  Hymns  45,  46,  47. 

*  Acts  XX.  24, 


fAI  Dedication  ami  Surrender.  Book  III. 

V.  DEDICATION  AND  SURRENDER. 

LIX.   Old  Things  are  fiasaed  away. 

1  Let  worldly  minds  the  world  pursue, 

It  has  no  charms  for  me  ; 
Once  I  admii''d  its  trifles  too, 
But  grace  has  set  me  free. 

2  Its  pleasures  now  no  longer  please, 

No  more  content  afford ; 
Far  from  my  heart  be  joys  like  these. 
Now  I  have  seen  the  Lord. 

3  As  by  the  light  of  op'ning  day 

The  stars  are  all  conceal 'd ; 
So  earthly  pleasures  fade  away, 
When  Jesus  is  reveal'd. 

4  Creatures  no  more  divide  my  choice, 

I  bid  them  all  depart ; 
His  name,  and  love,  and  gracious  voice ,- 
Have  fix*d  my  roving  heart. 

5  Now,  Lord,  I  would  be  thine  alone, 

And  wholly  live  to  thee  ; 
But  may  I  hope  that  thou  wilt  own 
A  worthless  worm  like  me  ? 

6  Yes  !  though  of  sinners  I'm  the  worst, 

I  cannot  doubt  thy  will ; 
For  if  thou  hadst  not  lov'd  me  first, 
I  had  refus'd  thee  still  *. 

*  Jer.  xxxi.  S. 


Hymn  GO.  Dedication  and  Surrender.  ^33 


LX.      The  Power  of  Grace. 

1  Happy  the  birth  where  grace  presides 

To  form  the  future  life  ! 
In  wisdoiVi's  paths  the  soul  she  guides, 
Remote  from  noise  and  strife. 

2  Since  I  hav€  known  the  Saviour's  name. 

And  what  for  me  he  bore  ; 
No  more  I  toil  for  empty  fame, 
I  thirst  for  gold  no  more. 

3  Plac'd  by  his  hand  in  this  retreat, 

I  make  his  love  my  theme  ; 
And  see  that  all  the  world  calls  great 
Is  but  a  waking  dream. 

4  Since  he  has  rank'd  my  worthless  name 

Amongst  his  favoured  few  ; 
Let  the  mad  world  who  scoiF  at  them, 
Revile  and  hate  me  too. 

5  O  thou  whose  voice  the  dead  can  raise, 

And  soften  hearts  of  stone, 
And  teach  the  dumb  to  sing  thy  praise. 
This  work  is  all  thine  own. 

6  Thy  wond'ring  saints  rejoice  to  see 

A  wretch  like  me  restor'd ; 
And  point,  and  say,  "  How  chang'd  is  he, 
**  Who  once  defy'd  the  Lord !" 

7  Grace  bid  me  live,  and  taught  my  tongue 

To  aim  at  notes  divine  ; 
And  grace  accepts  my  feeble  song, 
The  glory,  Lord,  be  thine  ! 
Vol.  III.  4  M 


i>od.  Dtditatiuii  and  Surremkr.  Book  III. 

LXI.    C,     My  Soul  thirsteth  for  God. 

1  I  THIRST,  but  not  as  once  I  did, 

The  vain  delights  of  earth  to  share ; 
Thy  wounds,  Immanuel,  all  forbid 

That  I  should  seek  my  pleasures  there* 

i2  It  was  the  sight  of  thy  dear  cross, 

First  Avean'd  my  soul  from  earthly  things. 
And  taught  me  to  esteem  as  dross 
The  mirth  of  fools  and  pomp  of  kings. 

3  I  want  that  grace  that  springs  from  thee, 

That  quickens  all  things  where  it  flows. 
And  makes  a  wretched  thorn,  like  me, 
Bloom  as  the  myrtle,  or  the  rose. 

4  Dear  Fountain  of  delight  unknown ! 

No  longer  sink  below  the  brim ; 
But  overflow,  and  pour  me  down 
A  living,  and  life-giving  stream ! 

5  For  sure,  of  all  the  plants  that  share 

The  notice  of  thy  Father's  eye, 
None  proves  less  grateful  to  his  care, 
Or  yields  him  meaner  fruit  than  I. 

LXII.     C.      Love  constraining  to  Obedience- 

1  No  strength  of  nature  can  sufiice 

To  serve  the  Lord  aright ; 
And  what  she  has,  she  misapplies. 
For  want  of  clearer  light. 

2  How  long  beneath  the  law  I  lay 

In  bondage  and  distress  ! 
I  toil'd  the  precept  to  obey. 
But  toil'd  without  success, 


Hymn  G3.  Dedication  and  Siirreiider.  636 

3  Then  to  abstain  from  outward  sin, 

Was  more  than  I  could  do ; 
Now,  if  I  feel  its  pow'r  within, 
I  feel  I  hate  it  too. 

4  Then  all  my  servile  works  were  done 

A  righteousness  to  raise  ; 
Now,  freely  chosen  in  the  Son^ 
I  freely  choose  his  ways. 

5  "  What  shall  I  do,"  was  then  the  word, 

"  That  I  may  worthier  grow?" 
"  What  shall  I  render  to  the  Lord  ?" 
Is  my  inquiry  now. 

6  To  see  the  law  by  Christ  fulfill'd, 

And  hear  his  pard'ning  voice, 
Changes  a  slave  into  a  child. 
And  duty  into  choice*. 


LXIII.    C.    The  heart  healed  and  changed  by  Mercy. 

1  Sin  enslav'd  me  many  years. 
And  led  me  bound  and  blind ; 

Till  at  length  a  thousand  fears 
Came  swarming  o'er  my  mind. 

"  Where,"  I  said  in  deep  distress, 
"  Will  these  sinful  pleasures  end  ? 

''  How  shall  I  secure  my  peace, 
"  And  make  the  Lord  my  friend  ?" 

2  Friends  and  ministers  said  much 

The  Gospel  to  enforce  ; 
But  my  blindness  still  was  such, 
I  chose  a  legal  course  : 
*  Rom.  iri.  31. 


"30  Dedicniinn  and  Surrender.  Book  III. 

Much  I  fasted,  watch'd,  and  strove, 
Scarce  would  show  my  face  abroad, 

Feai  'd  almost,  to  speak  or  move, 
A  stranger  still  to  God. 

3  Thus  afraid  to  trust  his  grace, 

Long  time  did  I  rebel ; 
Till,  despairing  of  my  case, 

Down  at  his  feet  I  fell : 
Then  my  stubborn  heart  he  broke. 

And  subdu'd  me  to  his  sway  ; 
By  a  simple  word  he  spoke, 

**  Thy  sins  are  done  away.'* 


LXIV.     C.     Hatred  of  Sin. 

1  Holy  Lord  God !  I  love  thy  truth. 

Nor  dare  thy  least  commandment  slight ; 
Yet  pierc'd  by  sin,  the  serpent's  tooth, 
I  mourn  the  anguish  of  the  bite. 

2  But  though  the  poison  lurks  within, 

Hope  bids  me  still  with  patience  wait ; 
Till  death  shall  set  me  free  from  sin, 
Free  from  the  only  thing  I  hate. 

3  Had  I  a  throne  above  the  rest. 

Where  angels  and  archangels  dwell ; 
One  sin,  unslain,  within  my  breast, 
Would  make  that  heav'n  as  dark  as  hell. 

4  The  pris'ner,  sent  to  breathe  fresh  air. 

And  bless'd  with  liberty  again, 
Would  mourn,  were  he  condemn 'd  to  wear 
One  link  of  all  his  former  chain. 


Hymn  C5.  Dedication  ami  Surrender.  6^7 

5  But,  oh  !  no  foe  invades  the  bliss, 

When  glory  crowns  th'  Christian's  head.; 
One  view  of  Jesus  as  he  is, 

Will  strike  all  sin  for  ever  dead. 


LXV.      The  Child*. 

1  Quiet,  Lord,  my  fro  ward  heart, 

Make  me  teachable  and  mild, 
Upright,  simple,  free  from  art, 
Make  me  as  a  weaned  child  : 
From  distrust  and  envy  free, 
Pleas'd  with  all  that  pleases  thee. 

2  What  thou  shalt  to-day  provide, 

Let  me  as  a  child  receive  ; 
What  to-morrow  may  betide. 

Calmly  to  thy  wisdom  leave  : 
*Tis  enough  that  thou  wilt  care, 
Why  should  I  the  burden  bear  ? 

3  As  a  little  child  relies 

On  a  cai'e  beyond  his  own  ; 
Knows  he's  neither  strong  nor  wise ; 

Fears  to  stir  a  step  alone ; 
Let  me  thus  with  thee  abide. 
As  my  Father,  Guard,  and  Guide. 

4.  Thus  preserv'd  from  Satan's  wiles, 
Safe  from  dangers,  free  from  fears,. 
May  I  live  upon  thy  smiles, 
Till  the  promis'd  hour  appears. 
When  the  sons  of  God  shall  prove 
All  their  Father's  boundless  love. 

*  Psal.  cxxxi.  2.;  Matt,  xviii.  3,  4. 


638  Dedication  and  Surreitder.  Book  II J. 


LXVI.      True  Haftfiiness. 

1  Fix  my  heart  and  eyes  on  thine  ! 

What  are  other  objects  worth  ? 
But  to  see  thy  glory  shine, 

Is  a  heav'n  begun  on  earth  : 
Trifles  can  no  longer  move, 

Oh !  I  tread  on  all  beside, 
When  I  feel  my  Saviour's  love. 

And  remember  how  he  dy'd. 

2  Now  my  search  is  at  an  end, 

Now  my  wishes  rove  no  more ! 
Thus  my  moments  I  would  spend. 

Love,  and  wonder,  and  adore  : 
Jesus,  source  of  excellence  ! 

All  thy  glorious  love  reveal ! 
,Kingdoms  shall  not  bribe  me  hence- 

While  this  happiness  I  feel. 

3  Take  my  heart,  'tis  all  thine  own, 
•    To  thy  will  my  spirit  frame  ? 
Thou  shalt  reign,  and  thou  alone^ 

Over  all  I  have,  or  am  : 
If  a  foolish  thought  shall  dare 

To  rebel  against  thy  word, 
Slay  it.  Lord,  and  do  not  spare  ; 

Let  it  feel  thy  Spirit's  sword. 

4  Making  thus  the  Lord  my  choice, 

I  have  nothing  more  to  choose, 
But  to  listen  to  thy  voice, 
..Vnd  my  will  in  thine  to  lose-: 


Hymn  67.  Dedication  and  Surrender,  639 

Thus,  whatever  may  betide, 

I  shall  safe  and  happy  be ; 
Still  content  and  satisfy  *d, 

Having  all,  in  having  thee. 


LXVII.   The  Hafifty  Debttir. 

1  Te  N  thousand  talents  once  I  ow'd, 

And  nothing  had  to  pay  ; 
But  Jesus  freed  me  from  the  load, 
And  wash'd  my  debt  away. 

2  Yet  since  the  Lord  forgave  my  sin, 

And  blotted  out  my  score  ; 
Much  more  indebted  I  have  been, 
Than  e'er  I  was  before. 

3  My  guilt  is  canceled  quite,  I  know, 

And  satisfaction  made; 
But  the  vast  debt  of  love  I  owe, 
Can  never  be  repaid. 

4  The  love  I  owe  for  sin  forgiv'n, 

For  power  to  believe, 
For  present  peace,  and  promised  heav'n, 
No  angel  can  conceive. 

5  That  love  of  thine,  thou  sinner's  Friend^ 

Witness  thy  bleeding  heart ! 
My  little  all  can  ne'er  extend 
To  pay  a  thousandth  part. 

6  Nay  more,  the  poor  returns  I  make 

I  first  from  thee  obtain  * ; 
And  'tis  of  grace,  that  thou  wilt  take 
Such  poor  returns  again. 
*   1  Chren.  xxix.  14. 


640  Cautioiia.  '  Book  III. 


7  'Tis  well — it  shall  my  glory  be, 
(Let  who  will  boast  their  store,) 
In  time  and  to  eternity, 

To  owe  thee  more  and  more. 

SIMILAR  HYMNS. 

Book  I.  Hymns  27,  50,  70,  93,  122. 
Book  II.  Hymns  23,  90. 


VI.  CAUTIONS. 

LXVIII.  C.    The  Mew  Convert. 

1  Th  e  new-born  child  of  Gospel  grace, 

Like  some  fair  tree  when  summer's  niglv 
Beneath  Immanuel's  shining  face. 
Lifts  up  his  blooming  branch  on  high. 

2  No  fears  he  feels,  he  sees  no  foes. 

No  conflict  yet  his  faith  employs, 
Nor  has  he  learnt  to  whom  he  owes. 
The  strength  and  peace  his  soul  enjoys. 

3  But  sin  soon  darts  its  cruel  sting, 

And  comforts  sinking  day  by  day ; 
What  seem'd  his  own,  a  self-fed  spring, 
Proves  but  a  brook  that  glides  away. 

4  When  Gideon  arm'd  his  num'rous  host, 

The  Lord  soon  made  his  numbers  less  j 
And  said,  lest  Israel  vainly  boast  *, 
"  M}  arm  procur'd  me  this  success." 
*  Judges  vii.  2. 


Hymn  69.  Cautions.  641 

5  Thus  will  he  bring  our  spirits  down, 
And  draw  our  ebbing  comforts  low, 
That  sav'd  by  grace,  but  not  our  own, 
We  may  not  claim  the  praise  we  owe. 


LXIX.     C.     True  and  false  Comforts. 

1  O  God,  whose  favourable  eye 

The  sin-sick  soul  revives, 
Holy  and  heav'nly  is  the  joy 
Thy  shining  presence  gives. 

2  Not  such  as  hypocrites  suppose, 

Who,  with  a  graceless  heart. 
Taste  not  of  thee,  but  drink  a  doscj 
Prepar'd  by  Satan's  art. 

3  Intoxicating  joys  are  theirs, 

Who,  while  they  boast  their  lights 
And  seem  to  soar  above  the  stars. 
Are  plunging  into  night. 

4  LuU'd  in  a  soft  and  fatal  sleep. 

They  sin,  and  yet  rejoice  ; 
Were  they  indeed  the  Saviour's  sheep, 
Would  they  not  hear  his  voice  ? 

5  Be  mine  the  comforts  that  reclaim 

The  soul  from  Satan's  pow'r  ; 
That  make  me  blush  for  what  I  am, 
And  hate  my  sin  the  more. 

6  'Tis  joy  enough,  my  All  in  All, 

At  thy  dear  feet  to  lie  ; 
Thou  wilt  not  let  me  lower  fall, 
And  none  can  higher  fly. 
Vol.  HI.  4N 


O'JiSi  tautiom.  liuok  III 


LXX.      True  and  false  Zeat. 

1  Zeal  is  that  pure  and  heav*nly  flame 

The  fire  of  love  supplies  ; 
While  that  wliich  often  bears  the  name. 
Is  self  in  a  disguise. 

2  True  zeal  is  merciful  and  mild, 

Can  pity  and  forbear  ; 
The  false  is  headstrong,  fierce,  and  wild. 
And  breathes  revenge  and  war. 

3  While  zeal  for  truth  the  Christian  warms, 

He  knows  the  worth  of  peace  ; 
But  self  contends  for  names  and  forms. 
Its  party  to  increase. 

4-     Zeal  has  attain'd  its  highest  aim, 
Its  end  is  satisfy 'd, 
If  sinners  love  the  Saviour's  name,^ 
Nor  seeks  it  aught  beside. 

5  But  self,  however  well  employed, 

Has  its  own  ends  in  view  ; 
And  says,  as  boasting  Jehu  ciy'd, 
"  Come  see  what  I  can  do*.** 

6  Self  may  its  poor  reward  obtain, 

And  be  applauded  here  ; 
But  zeal  the  best  applause  will  gain. 
When  Jesus  shall  appeal*. 

7  Dear  Lord,  the  idol  self  dethrone, 

And  from  our  hearts  remove ; 
And  let  no  zeal  by  us  be  shown. 
But  that  which  springs  from  love. 
*  2  Kings  X.  16. 


Hymn  71.  Cautions.  C48 

LXXI.  C.  A  living  and  a  dead  Faith. 

1  The  Lord  receives  his  highest  praise 

From  humble  minds  and  hearts  sincere ; 
While  all  the  loud  professor  says 
Offends  the  righteous  Judge's  ear. 

^  To  walk  as  children  of  the  day, 

To  mark  the  precepts'  holy  light, 
To  wage  the  warfare,  watch  and  pray, 
Show  who  are  pleasing  in  his  sight. 

3  Not  words  alone  it  cost  the  Lord, 

To  purchase  pardon  for  his  own ; 
Nor  will  a  soul,  by  grace  restor'd. 
Return  the  Saviour  words  alone. 

4  With  golden  bells,  the  priestly  vest, 

And  rich  pomegranates  border'd  round*^, 
The  need  of  holiness  express'd, 

And  call'd  for  fruit  as  well  as  sound. 

5  Easy,  indeed,  it  were  to  reach 

A  mansion  in  the  courts  above, 
If  swelling  words  and  fluent  speech 
Might  serve,  instead  of  faith  and  love. 

6  But  none  shall  gain  the  blissful  place, 

Or  God's  unclouded  glory  see. 
Who  talks  of  free  and  sov  reign  grace, 
Unless  that  grace  has  made  him  free  9 

*  £xod.  xxviii.  33. 


644  Cautions.  Book  III. 


LXXII.  C.  Jbuse  of  the  Gospel. 

1  Too  many,  Lord,  abuse  thy  grace, 

In  this  licentious  day  ; 
And  while  they  boast  they  see  thy  face, 
They  turn  their  own  away. 

2  Thy  book  displays  a  gracious  light 

That  can  the  blind  restore  ; 
But  these  ai*e  dazzled  by  the  sight, 
And  blinded  still  the  more. 

3  The  pardon  such  presume  upon, 

They  do  not  beg,  but  steal ; 
And  when  they  plead  it  at  thy  throne, 
Oh  !  where 's  the  Spirit's  seal  ? 

4  Was  it  for  this,  ye  lawless  tribe, 

The  dear  Redeemer  bled  ? 
Is  this  the  grace  the  saints  imbibe, 
From  Christ,  the  living  head  ? 

5  Ah,  Lord,  we  know  thy  chosen  few 

Are  fed  with  heav'nly  fare  ; 
But  these,  the  wretched  husks  they  chew 
Proclaim  them  what  they  are. 

6  The  liberty  our  hearts  implore. 

Is  not  to  live  in  sin  ; 
But  still  to  wait  at  wisdom's  door. 
Till  mercy  calls  us  in. 

LXXIII.  C.    The  narrow  Way. 

1  What  thousands  never  knew  the  road  ! 
What  thousands  hate  it  when  'tis  known ! 
None  but  the  chosen  tribes  of  God 
Will  seek  or  choose  it  for  their  own. 


Hymn  74.  Cautions.  64^ 

2  A  thousand  ways  in  ruin  end, 

One  only  leads  to  joys  on  high ; 
By  that  my  willing  steps  ascend, 
Pleas *d  with  a  journey  to  the  sky. 

3  No  more  I  ask  or  hope  to  find 

Delight  or  happiness  below ; 
Sorrow  may  well  possess  the  mind 

That  feeds  where  thorns  and  thistles  grow. 

4  The  joy  that  fades  is  not  for  me, 

I  seek  immortal  joys  above  ; 
There  glory  without  end  shall  be 
The  bright  reward  of  faith  and  love. 

5  Cleave  to  the  world,  ye  sordid  worms, 

Contented  lick  your  native  dust ; 
But  God  shall  fight  with  all  his  storms. 
Against  the  idol  of  your  trust. 

LXXIV.     C.       Defiendence. 

1  To  keep  the  lamp  alive. 

With  oil  we  fill  the  bowl ; 
'Tis  water  makes  the  willow  thrive, 
And  grace  that  feeds  the  soul. 

2  The  Lord's  unsparing  hand 

Supplies  the  living  stream  ; 
It  is  not  at  our  own  command. 
But  still  deriv'd  from  him. 

3  Beware  of  Peter's  word*, 

Nor  confidently  say, 
"  I  never  will  deny  thee.  Lord," 
But  "  Grant  I  never  may.'* 

*  Matt.  XX vi.  33 


6^  Cautions.  Book  III. 

4  Man's  wisdom  is  to  seek 

His  strength  in  God  alone  ; 
And  e'en  an  angel  would  be  weak. 
Who  trusted  in  his  own. 

5  Retreat  beneath  his  wings, 

And  in  his  grace  confide ; 
This  more  exalts  the  King  of  kings 
Than  all  your  works  beside*. 

3  In  Jesus  is  our  store, 

Grace  issues  from  his  throne  ; 
Whoever  says,  "  I  want  no  more,'* 
Confesses  he  has  none. 


LXXV.     C.      JVot  of  Worke. 

1  Grace,  triumphant  in  the  throne, 
Scorns  a  rival,  reigns  alone  ! 
Come,  and  bow  beneath  her  sway, 
Cast  your  idol  works  away. 
Works  of  man,  when  made  his  plea, 
Never  shall  accepted  be  ; 

Fruits  of  pride,  (vain-glorious  worm  !) 
Are  the  best  he  can  perform. 

2  Self,  the  god  his  soul  adores, 
Influences  all  his  pow'rs  ; 
Jesus  is  a  slighted  name, 
Self-advancement  all  his  aim. 

But  when  God  the  Judge  shall  come, 
To  pronounce  the  final  doom. 
Then  for  rocks  and  hills  to  hide 
All  his  works  and  all  his  pride  ! 
*  John  vi.  29. 


Hymn  76.  t'mitions.  ^ 

3  Still  the  boasting  heart  replies, 
What !  the  worthy  and  the  wise, 
Friends  to  temperance  and  peace. 
Have  not  these  a  righteousness  ? 
Banish  ev'ry  vain  pretence 
Built  on  human  excellence ; 
Perish  ev'ry  thing  in  man, 
But  the  grace  that  never  can. 


LXXVI.     Sin's  Deceit. 

1  Sin,  when  view'd  by  Scripture  light, 
Is  a  horrid,  hateful  sight ; 

But  when  seen  in  Satan's  glass. 
Then  it  wears  a  pleasing  face. 

2  When  the  Gospel  trumpet  sounds. 
When  I  think  how  grace  abounds, 
When  I  feel  sweet  peace  within. 
Then  I'd  rather  die  than  sin. 

3  When  the  cross  I  view  by  faith, 
Sin  is  madness,  poison,  death ; 
Tempt  me  not,  'tis  all  in  vain, 
Sure  I  ne'er  can  yield  again. 

4  Satan,  for  a  while  debarr'd. 
When  he  finds  me  off  my  guard^ 
Puts  his  glass  before  my  eyes ; 
Quickly  other  thoughts  arise. 

5  What  before  excited  fears, 
Rather  pleasing  now  appears  ; 
If  a  sin,  it  seems  so  small, 
Or,  perhaps,  no  sin  at  all. 


048  Cautions.  Book  III. 

6  Often  thus,  through  sin's  deceit, 
Grief,  and  shame,  and  loss  I  meet ; 
Like  a  fish,  my  soul  mistook, 
Saw  the  bait,  but  not  the  hook. 

7  O  my  Lord,  what  shall  I  say  ? 
How  can  I  presume  to  pray  ? 
Not  a  word  have  I  to  plead. 
Sins  like  mine  are  black  indeed  ! 

8  Made,  by  past  experience,  wise. 
Let  me  learn  thy  word  to  prize. 
Taught  by  what  I've  felt  before. 
Let  me  Satan's  glass  abhor. 


LXXVII.       jire  there  yew  that  shall  be  saved? 

1  Destruction's  dang'rous  road 

What  multitudes  pursue  ! 
While  that  which  leads  the  soul  to  God, 
Is  kno^vn  or  sought  by  few. 

2  Believers  enter  in 

By  Christ,  the  living  gate  ; 
But  they  who  will  not  leave  their  sin, 
Complain  it  is  too  strait. 

3  If  self  must  be  deny'd, 

And  sin  forsaken  quite  ; 
They  rather  choose  the  way  that's  wide, 
And  strive  to  think  it  right. 

4  Encompass'd  by  a  throng. 

On  numbers  they  depend ; 
So  many  surely  can't  be  wrong, 
And  miss  a  happy  end. 


Hymn  ITS.  Cautions.  649 

5  But  numbers  are  no  mark 

That  men  will  right  be  found ; 
A  few  were  sav'd  in  Noah's  ark*. 
For  many  millions  drown'd. 

6  Obey  the  Gospel  call, 

And  enter  while  you  may ; 
The  flock  of  Christ  is  always  small  f, 
And  none  are  safe  but  they. 

7  Lord,  open  sinners'  eyes, 

Their  awful  state  to  see ; 
And  make  them,  ere  the  storm  arise. 
To  thee  for  safety  flee. 


LXXVIII,     The  Sluggard. 


1  The  -wishes  that  the  sluggard  frames $, 

Of  course  must  fruitless  prove ; 
With  folded  arms  he  stands  and  dreams, 
But  has  no  heart  to  move. 

2  His  field  from  others  may  be  knOwn, 

The  fence  is  broken  through ; 
The  ground  with  weeds  is  overgrown, 
And  no  good  crop  in  view. 

3  No  hardship  he,  or  toil,  can  bear, 

No  difliculty  meet ; 
He  wastes  his  hours  at  home,  for  fear 
Of  lions  in  the  street. 

*   1  Pet.  iii.  20.  f  Luke  xii.  32. 

%  Prov.  vi.  10.  aad  xxiv.  30.  and  xxii.  13.  &  xx.  4. 

Vol,  III.  4  O 


650  Cautions.  BooK  I  IT. 

4  What  wonder,  then,  if  sloth  and  sleep 

Distress  and  famine  bring ! 
Can  he  in  harvest  hope  to  reap, 
Who  will  not  sow  in  spring  ? 

5  'Tis  often  thus,  in  soul-concerns, 

We  Gospel-sluggards  see ; 
Who,  if  a  wish  would  serve  their  turns, 
Might  true  believers  be. 

6  But  when  the  preacher  bids  them  watch, 

And  seek,  and  strive,  and  pray* : 
At  ev'ry  poor  excuse  they  catch, 
"  A  lion  in  the  way  !'' 

7  To  use  the  means  of  grace,  how  loth ! 

We  call  them  still  in  vain  ; 
They  yield  to  their  beloved  sloth, 
And  fold  their  arms  again. 

8  Dear  Saviour,  let  thy  pow'r  appear, 

The  outward  call  to  aid ; 
These  drowsy  souls  can  only  hear 
The  voice  that  wakes  the  dead. 

LXXIX.     Ao?  in  Word,  but  in  Power. 

1  How  soon  the  Saviour's  gracious  call, 
Disarm'd  the  rage  of  bloody  Saulf, 
Jesus,  the  knowledge  of  thy  name, 
Changes  the  lion  to  a  lamb  ! 

2  Zaccheus,  when  he  knew  the  Lord, 
What  he  had  gain'd  by  ^vrong,  restor'd  ; 
And  of  the  wealth  he  priz'd  before, 

He  gave  the  half  to  feed  the  poor  J, 

*  1  Cor.  ix.  24.    Luke  xiii.  24.        f  Acts  ix.  6. 
i  Luke  xix.  8. 


Hymn  79.  Cmitrons.  651 

3  The  woman  who  so  vile  had  been* 
When  brought  to  weep  o'er  pardon'd  sin, 
Was  from  her  evil  ways  estrang'd, 

And  show'd  that  grace  her  heart  hadchang'd. 

4  And  can  we  think  the  pow'r  of  grace 
Is  lost,  by  change  of  time  and  place  ? 
Then  it  was  mighty,  all  allow, 

And  is  it  but  a  notion  now  ? 

5  Can  they  whom  pride  and  passion  swaj''. 
Who  Mammon  and  the  world  obey, 

In  envy  or  contention  live, 
Presume  that  they  indeed  believe  ? 

6  True  faith  unites  to  Christ  the  root, 
By  him  producing  holy  fruit ; 

And  they  who  no  such  fruit  can  show, 
Still  on  the  stock  of  nature  grow. 

7  Lord,  let  thy  word  effectual  prove, 
To  work  in  us  obedient  love  ! 

And  may  each  one  who  hears  it  dread 
A  name  to  live,  and  yet  be  dead  f. 


SIMILAR  HYMNS. 

Book  I.    Hymns  8,  20,  85,  87,  91,  104,  125, 

139,  141. 
Book  II.     Hymns  34,  49,  86,  91,  99. 

*  Llike  vii.  47,  t  Rev.  ift.  1. 


6K53  Traise.  Book  III. 

VII.  PRAISE. 

LXXX.     C.     Praise  for  Faith. 

X  Of  all  the  gifts  thine  hand  bestows, 
Thou  Giver  of  all  good  ! 
Not  heav'n  itself  a  richer  knows, 
Than  my  Redeemer's  blood. 

2  Faith  too,  the  blood-receiving  grace, 

From  the  same  hand  we  gain  ; 
Else,  sweetly  as  it  suits  our  case, 
That  gift  had  been  in  vain. 

3  'Till  thou  thy  teaching  pow'r  apply, 

Our  hearts  refuse  to  see, 
And  weak,  as  a  distemper'd  eye, 
Shut  out  the  view  of  thee. 

4  Blind  to  the  merits  of  thy  Son, 

What  mis'ry  we  endure ! 
Yet  fly  that  hand,  from  which  alone. 
We  could  expect  a  cure. 

5  We  praise  thee,  and  would  praise  thee  more. 

To  thee  our  all  we  owe ; 
The  precious  Saviour,  and  the  pow'r 
That  makes  him  precious  too. 

LXXXI.     C.     Grace  and  Providence. 

1  Almighty  King!  whose  wondrous  hand 
Supports  the  weight  of  sea  and  land ; 
Whose  grace  is  such  a  boundless  store, 
No  heart  shall  break  that  sighs  for  more. 


Hymn  82»  Fmise.  653 

2  Thy  providence  supplies  my  food, 
And  'tis  thy  blessing  makes  it  good ; 
My  soul  is  nourish'd  by  thy  word. 
Let  soul  and  body  praise  the  Lord. 

5  My  streams  of  outward  comfort  came 
From  him,  who  built  this  earthly  frame ; 
Whate'er  I  want  his  bounty  gives, 
By  whom  my  soul  for  ever  lives. 

4  Either  his  hand  preserves  from  pain. 
Or,  if  I  feel  it,  heals  again  ; 

From  Satan's  malice  shields  my  breast, 
Or  over-rules  it  for  the  best. 

5  Forgive  the  song  that  falls  so  low 
Beneath  the  gratitude  I  owe  ! 

It  means  thy  praise,  however  poor. 
And  angel's  song  can  do  no  more. 


LXXXII.  Praise  for  redeeming  Love. 

1  Let  us  love,  and  sing,  and  wonder, 

Let  us  praise  the  Saviour's  name ! 
He  has  hush'd  the  law's  loud  thunder, 
He  has  quench'd  mount  Sinai's  flame : 
He  has  wash'd  us  with  his  blood, 
He  has  brought  us  nigh  to  God. 

2  Let  us  love  the  Lord  who  bought  us, 

Pity'd  us  when  enemies, 
Caird  us  by  his  grace,  and  taught  us, 

Gave  us  ears,  and  gave  us  eyes  : 
He  has  wash'd  us  with  his  blood, 
He  presents  our  souls  to  God. 


654  rmhe.  Book  Ilf. 

3  Let  us  sing,  though  fierce  temptations 

Threaten  hard  to  bear  us  down  ! 
For  the  Lord,  our  strong  salvation, 

Holds  in  view  the  conqu'ror's  crown* : 
He  who  wash'd  us  with  his  blood, 
Soon  will  bring  us  home  to  God. 

4  Let  us  wonder,  grace  and  justice 

Join,  and  point  to  mercy's  store ; 
When  through  grace  in  Christ  our  trust  is, 
Justice  smiles,  and  asks  no  more  : 
He  who  wash'd  us  with  his  blood, 
Has  secur'd  our  way  to  God. 

5  Let  us  praise,  and  join  the  chorus 

Of  the  saints  enthron'd  on  high; 
Here  tliey  trusted  him  before  us. 
Now  their  praises  fill  the  sky ; 

"  Thou  hast  wash'd  us  with  thy  blood, 
' '  Thou  art  worthy,  Lamb  of  Godf ! ' ' 

6  Hark  !  the  name  of  Jesus  sounded 

Loud  from  golden  harps  above  ! 

Lord,  we  blush,  and  are  confounded, 

Faint  our  praises,  cold  our  love  ! 

Wash  our  souls  and  songs  with  blood, 

For  by  thee  we  come  to  God. 


LXXXIII.  C.  /  witlfiraise  the  Lord  at  all  Times. 

1  Winter  has  a  joy  for  me, 

While  the  Saviour's  charms  I  read, 
Lowly,  meek,  from  blemish  free. 
In  the  snow-drops*  pensive  head. 
*  Rev.ii,  10.  t  Rev.  y.  9. 


Hymn  84.  Praise.  Q55. 

2  Spring  returns,  and  brings  along 

Life- invigorating  suns : 
Hark !  the  turtle's  plaintive  song, 
Seems  to  speak  his  dying  groans  ! 

3  Summer  has  a  thousand  charms, 

All  expressive  of  his  worth  ; 
'Tis  his  sun  that  lights  and  warms  ; 
His  the  air  that  cools  the  earth. 

4  What,  has  autumn  left  to  say 

Nothing  of  a  Saviour's  grace  ? 
Yes,  the  beams  of  milder  day 
Tell  me  of  his  smiling  face, 

5  Light  appears  with  early  dawn ; 

While  the  sun  makes  haste  to  rise, 
See  his  bleeding  beauties  drawn 
On  the  blushes  of  the  skies. 

6  Ev'ning,  with  a  silent  pace, 

Slowly  moving  in  the  west, 
Shows  an  emblem  of  his  grace, 
Points  to  an  eternal  rest. 


LXXXIV.      Perseverance. 

1  Rejoice,  believer,  in  the  Lord, 

Who  makes  your  cause  his  own  ; 
The  hope  that's  built  upon  his  woi:d 
Can  ne'er  be  overthrown. 

2  Though  many  foes  beset  your  road, 

And  feeble  is  your  arm  ; 
Your  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God*, 
Beyond  the  reach  of  harm. 
*  Col.  3.  iii. 


«56  Frahc,  Book  III, 

3  Weak  as  you  are,  you  shall  not  faint, 
Or  fainting  shall  not  die ; 
Jesus,  the  strength  of  ev'ry  saint, 
Will  aid  you  from  on  high*. 

4-  Though  sometimes  unperceiv'd  by  sense, 
Faith  sees  him  always  near, 
A  Guide,  a  Glory,  a  Defence, 
Then  what  have  you  to  fear  ? 

5  As  surely  as  he  overcame, 

And  triumphed  once  for  you  ; 
So  surely  you,  that  love  his  name, 
Shall  triumph  in  him  too. 


LXXXV.     Sfllvation. 

1  Salvation!  what  a  glorious  plan, 

How  suited  to  our  need  ! 
The  grace  that  raises  fallen  man 
Is  wonderful  indeed ! 

2  'Twas  wisdom  form'd  the  vast  design, 

To  ransom  us  when  lost ; 
And  love's  unfathomable  mine 
Provided  all  the  cost. 

3  Strict  justice,  with  approving  look, 

The  holy  cov'nant  seal'd ; 
And  truth  and  ix>wer  undertook 
The  whole  should  be  fulfill'd. 

4  Truth,  wisdom,  justice,  pow'r,  and  love, 

In  all  their  glory  shone, 
Wlien  Jesus  left  the  courts  above, 
And  dy'd  to  save  his  own. 

*  Isaiah  xl.  39. 


Hymn  8G.  Praise.  657- 

5  Truth,  wisdom,  justice,  powV,  and  love, 

Are  equally  display'd, 
Now  Jesus  reigns  enthron'd  above, 
Our  Advocate  and  Head. 

6  Now  sin  appears  deserving  death, 

Most  hateful  and  abhorr'd  ; 
And  yet  the  sinner  lives  by  faith, 
And  dares  approach  the  Lord. 


LXXXVI.  Reigning  Grace. 

1  Now  may  the  Lord  reveal  his  face, 

'And  teach  our  stafnm'ring  tongues 
To  make  his  sov 'reign,  reigning  grace^'.^ 

The  subject  of  our  songs ! 
No  sweeter  subject  can  invite 

A  sinner's  heart  to  sing, 
Or  more  display  the  glorious  right 

Of  our  exalted  King. 

2  This  subject  fills  the  starry  plains 

With  wonder,  joy,  and  love ; 
And  furnishes  the  noblest  strains 

For  all  the  harps  above  : 
While  thfc  redeem 'd  in  praise  combine 

To  grace  upon  the  throne, 
Angels  in  solemn  chorus  join. 

And  make  the  theme  their  ownf. 

3  Grace  reigns,  to  pardon  crimson  sins, 

To  melt  the  hardest  hearts  ; 
And  from  the  work  it  once  begins 
It  never  more  departs  |. 
*Rom.  V.  21.        t  Rer.vrg— 12.      |  Phil.  i.  «. 
Vol.  IIL  4  P 


658  Fraise,  Book  111. 

The  world  and  Satan  strive  in  vain 

Against  the  chosen  few  ; 
Secur'd  by  grace*s  conqu'ring  reign, 

They  all  shall  conquer  too*. 

4  Grace  tills  the  soil,  and  soavs  the  seeds, 

Provides  the  sun  and  rain ; 
Till  from  the  tender  blade  proceeds 

The  ripen 'd  harvest  grain. 
*Twas  grace  that  cail'd  our  souls  at  first ; 

By  grace  thus  far  we're  come  ; 
And  grace  will  help  us  through  the  worst, 

And  lead  us  safely  home. 

5  Lord,  when  this  changing  life  is  past, 

If  we  may  see  thy  face, 
How  shall  we  praise  and  love  at  last, 

And  sing  the  reign  of  grace  f  ! 
Yet  let  us  aim,  while  here  below. 

Thy  mercy  to  display  ; 
And  own,  at  least,  the  debt  we  owe. 

Although  we  cannot  pay. 


LXXXVII.     Fraise  to  the  Redeemer. 

1  Prepare  a  thankful  song 

To  the  Redeemer's  name ! 
His  praises  should  employ  each  tongue, 
And  ev'ry  heart  inflame ! 

2  He  laid  his  glory  by. 

And  dreadful  pains  endur'd, 
That  rebels,  such  as  you  and  I, 

From  wrath  might  be  secur'd. 

*  Rom.  viii.  3 — 59.  t  Psal.  cxv.  J 


ffrran  87.  Prahe.  .  659 

3  Upon  the  cross  he  dy'd, 

Our  debt  of  sin  to  pay  ; 
The  blood  and  water  from  liis  side 
Wash  guilt  and  filth  away. 

4  And  now  he  pleading  stands 

For  us,  before  the  throne, 
And  answei-s  aR  the  law's  demands 
With  what  himself  hath  done. 

5  He  sees  iis,  wSling  slaves 

To  s-in  and  Satan's  pow'r ; 
But,  with  an  outsti^ch'd  arm,  he  saves 
In  his  appointed  hcMir. 

6  The  Holy  Glsost  lie  sends. 

Our  stubbcjm  smils  to  inove^ 
To  make  his  enemies  his  friends. 
And  conquei-  thezn  by  love. 

7  The  love  of  sin  departs. 

The  life  of  grace  takes  place. 
Soon  as  his  voice  invites  our  hearts 
To  rise  and  seek  his  iace. 

8  The  world  and  Satan  rage. 

But  he  their  pow V  controls ; 
His  wisdom,  love,  and  truth,  engage 
Protection  for  oiu*  souls. 

9  Though  press*d,  we  will  not  yield. 

But  shall  prevail  at  length  ; 
For  Jesus  is  our  sun  and  shield, 

Our  righteousness  and  strength. 

10  Assur*dthat  Christ,  our  King, 

Will  put  our  foes  to  flight, 
We  on  the  field  of  battle  sing, 

And  triumph  while  Ave  fight. 


660  rraise.  Book  III, 


LXXXVIII.     Man  by  N'ature^  Grace^  and  Glory. 

1  Lord,  what  is  man!  extremes  how  wide. 

In  this  mysterious  nature  join  ! 

The  flesh,  to  worms  and  dust  ally'd, 

The  soul  immortal  and  divine  ! 

2  Divine  at  first,  a  holy  flame 

Kindled  by  the  Almighty's  breath ; 
Till,  stain 'd  by  sin,  it  soon  became 
The  seat  of  darkness,  strife,  and  death. 

3  But  Jesus,  oh  !  amazing  grace  ! 

,     Assum'd  our  nature  as  his  own, 
Obey'd  and  suffer'd  in  our  place. 
Then  took  it  with  him  to  his  throne. 

4  Now  what  is  man,  when  grace  reveals 

The  virtue  of  a  Saviour's  blood  ? 
Again  a  life  divine  he  feels, 

Despises  earth,  and  walks  with  God. 

5  And  what  in  yonder  realms  above, 

Is  ransom'd  man  ordain'd  to  be  ? 
With  honour,  holiness,  and  love, 
No  seraph  more  adorn *d  than  he. 

%  Nearest  the  throne,  and  first  in  song, 
Man  shall  his  hallelujalis  raise  ; 
While  wond'ring  angels  round  him  throng. 
And  swell  the  chorus  of  his  praise. 


SIMILAR  HYMNS. 

Book  I.    Hymns  57,  58,  59,  79,  80. 
Book  II.  Hymns  37,  38,  2>9,  41,  42. 


Hymn  91.  Short  Hymm.  661 


VIII.     SHORT  HYMNS— BEFORE  SERMON. 

HYMN  LXXXIX. 

1  Confirm  the  hope  thy  word  allows, 

Behold  us  waiting  to  be  fed  ; 
Bless  the  provisions  of  thy  house, 

And  satisfy  thy  poor  with  bread  : 
Drawn  by  thine  invitation,  Lord, 

Athrist  and  hungry  we  are  come  ; 
Now  from  the  fulness  of  thy  word, 

Feast  us,  and  send  us  thankful  home. 


HYMN  XC. 

1  Now,  Lord,  inspire  the  preacher's  heart. 

And  teach  his  tongue  to  speak ; 
Food  to  the  hungry  soul  impart. 
And  cordials  to  the  weak. 

2  Furnish  us  all  with  light  and  pow'rs 

To  walk  in  wisdom's  ways  : 
So  shall  the  benefit  be  'ours. 
And  thou  shalt  have  the  praise. 


-      HYMN  XCI. 

1  Thy  promise,  Lord,  and  thy  command, 
Have  brought  us  here  to-day ; 
And  now,  we  humbly  waiting  stand 
To  hear  what  thou  wilt  say*. 

.     *  Psal.  Ixxxv.  8. 


()6xJ  Short  W/mm.  iiook  iM. 

2  Meet  us,  we  pray,  with  words  of  peace  ; 
And  fill  our  hearts  with  love  ; 
That  from  pur  follies  we  may  cease. 
And  henceforth  faithful  prove. 


HYMN  XCII. 

1  Hungry,  and  faint,  and  poor. 

Behold  us,  Lord,  again 
Assembled  at  thy  mercies*  door. 
Thy  bounty  to  obtain. 

2  Thy  word  invites  us  nigh, 

Or  we  must  stiu^e  indeed  ; 
P'or  we  no  money  have  to  buy. 
No  righteousness  to  plead. 

3  The  food  our  spirits  want 

Thy  hand  alone  can  give  ; 
Oh,  hear  the  pray'r  of  fuith,  and  grant 
That  we  may  eat  and  live. 


HYMN  XCni— Psal.  cvi.  4,  5. 

I  Remember  us,  we  pray  thee.  Lord, 

With  those  who  love  thy  gracious  name ; 
And  to  our  souls  that  good  afford, 
Thy  promise  has  prepar'd  for  them. 

To  us  thy  great  salvation  show. 
Give  us  a  taste  of  love  divine  ; 

That  we  thy  people's  joy  may  knoW; 
And  in  their  holy  triumph  join. 


Hymn  U5.  !Short  Hymis.  COS 

HYMN  XCIV, 

1  Not  to  Sinai*s  dreadful  blaze, 
But  to  Zion's  throne  of  grace, 
By  a  way  mark'd  out  with  blood, 
Sinners  now  approach  to  God*. 

2  Not  to  hear  the  fiery  law, 
But  with  humble  joy  to  draw 
Water,  by  that  well  supply 'd, 
Jesus  open'd  when  he  dy'df. 

3  Lord,  there  are  no  streams  but  thine 
Can  assuage  a  thirst  like  mine  ; 
'Tis  a  thirst  thyself  didst  give  ; 
Let  me  therefore  drink  and  live. 

HYMN  XCV. 

1  Often  thy  public  means  of  grace, 
Thy  thirsty  people's  wat'ring  place, 

The  archers  have  beset|; 
Attack'd  them  in  thy  house  of  pray'r, 
To  prison  dragg'd,  or  to  the  bar, 

When  thus  together  met. 

2  But  we  from  such  assaults  are  freed, 
Can  pray,  and  sing,  and  hear,  and  read. 

And  meet,  and  part,  in  peace : 
May  we  our  privileges  prize. 
In  their  improvement  make  us  wise, 

And  bless  us  with  increase. 

3  Unless  thy  presence  thou  afford, 
Unless  thy  blessing  clothe  the  word, 

*  Heb.  xii.  18 — 24.      +  Isa.  xii,  5,      \  Judges  v.  U- 


mh  Short  Hymns.  Book  111. 

In  vain  our  liberty ! 
What  would  it  profit  to  maintain 
A  name  for  life,  should  we  remain 

Formal  and  dead  to  thee  ? 


AFTER  SERMON. 
HYMN  XCVL— Deut.  xxxiii.  26—29. 

1  With  Israel's  God  who  can  compare? 
Or  who  like  Israel  happy  are  ? 

O  people  saved  by  the  Lord, 

He  is  thy  shield  and  great  reward  ! 

2  Upheld  by  everlasting  arms, 

Thou  art  secur'd  from  foes  and  harms ; 
In  vain  their  plots,  and  false  their  boasts, 
Our  refuge  is  the  Lord  of  hosts. 

HYMN  XCVH — Habakkuk  iii.  17,  18. 

Jesus  is  mine !  I'm  now  prepar'd 

To  meet  with  what  I  thought  most  hard  ; 

Yes,  let  the  winds  of  trouble  blow, 

And  comforts  melt  away  like  snow : 

No  blasted  trees,  or  failing  crops, 

Can  hinder  my  eternal  hopes  ; 

Tho'  creatures  change,  the  Lord's  th'  saine ; 

Then  let  me  triumph  in  his  name. 

HYMN  XCVni. 

We  seek  a  rest  beyond  the  skies, 

In  everlasting  day ; 
Thro'  floods  and  flames  the  passage  lies, 

But  Jesus  guards  the  way  : 


Hymn  lOQ.  Short  Hymns.  065 

The  swelling  flood,  and  raging  flame, 

Hear  and  obey  his  word  ; 
Then  let  us  triumph  in  his  name, 

Our  Saviour  is  the  Lord. 


HYMN  XCIX—Deut.  xxxli.  9,  10. 

1  The  saints  Immanuel's  portion  are, 

Redeem'd  by  price,  reclaim'd  by  powV ; 
His  special  choice,  and  tender  care, 

Owns  them  and  guards  them  ev'ry  hour. 

2  He  finds  them  in  a  barren  land, 

Beset  with  sins,  and  fears,  and  foes ; 
He  leads  and  guides  them  by  his  hand. 
And  bears  them  safe  from  all  their  foes. 

HYMN  C— Hebrews  xiii.  20—22. 

1  Now  may  he  who  from  the  dead 

Brought  the  Shepherd  of  the  sheep, 
Jesus  Clirist,  our  King  and  Head, 
All  our  souls  in  safety  keep  ! 

2  May  he  teach  us  to  fulfil 

What  is  pleasing  in  his  sight ; 
Perfect  us  in  all  his  will, 

And  preserve  us  day  and  night ! 

G  To  that  dear  Redeemer's  praise, 

Who  the  cov'nant  seal'd  with  blood, 
Let  our  hearts  and  voices  rais& 
Loud  thanksgivings  to  our  God, 


VoT    in.  4Q 


6G6  ^Jwrt  Hymns.  Book  III. 


HYMN  CI 2  Corinthians  xiii.  14. 

May  the  grace  of  Christ  our  Saviour, 

And  the  Father's  boundless  love, 
With  the  Holy  Spirit's  favour, 

Rest  upon  us  from  above ! 
Thus  may  we  abide  in  union 

With  each  other,  and  the  Lord ; 
And  possess,  in  sweet  communion, 

Joys  which  earth  cannot  afford. 

HYMN  CII. 

Th  e  peace  which  God  alone  reveals, 

And  by  his  word  of  grace  imparts, 
Which  only  the  believer  feels, 

Direct  and  keep,  and  cheer  your  hearts* 
And  may  the  only  Three  in  One, 

The  Father,  Word,  and  Comforter, 
Pour  an  abundant  blessing  do^vn 

On  ev'rj^  soul  assembled  here  ! 

HYMN  Cin. 

To  thee  our  wants  are  known, 
From  thee  ai-e  all  our  pow'rs ; 

Accept  what  is  thine  own, 
And  pardon  Av^hat  is  ours  : 

Our  praises.  Lord,  and  pray'rs  receive, 
And  to  thy  word  a  blessing  give. 
*  Phil.  iv.  7. 


Hymn  101.  Short  tiymns.  667 

2  Oh,  grant  that  each  of  us 

Now  met  before  thee  here, 
May  meet  together  thus, 

When  thou  and  thine  appear  I 
And  follow  thee  to  heav'n  our  home  : 
E'en  so,  Amen,  Lord  Jesus,  come*. 


GLORIA  PATRI. 
HYMN  CIV. 

1  The  Father  we  adore, 

And  everlasting  Son, 
The  Spirit  of  his  love  and  powV, 
The  glorious  Three  in  One. 

2  At  the  creation's  birth 

This  song,  was  sung  on  high, 
Shall  sound,  through  ev'ry  age,  on  earth, 
And  through  eternity. 

HYMN  CV. 

1  Father  of  angels  and  of  men. 

Saviour,  who  hast  us  bought, 
Spirit,  by  whom  we're  born  again, 
And  sanctify 'd,  and  taught ! 

2  Thy  glory,  holy  Three  in  One, 

Thy  people's  song  shall  be. 
Long  as  the  wheels  of  time  shall  run. 
And  to  eternity. 

*  Rev.  xxii.  20. 


668  Short  Hymm,.  Book  111, 


HYMN    CVI. 

1  Glory  to  God,  the  Father's  name, 

To  Jesus,  who  for  sinners  dy'd  ; 
The  Holy  Spirit  claims  the  same, 
By  whom  our  souls  are  sanctify'd. 

2  Thy  praise  was  sung  when  time  began 

By  angels,  through  the  starry  spheres  ; 
And  shall,  as  now,  be  sung  by  man 
Through  vast  eternity's  long  years. 

HYMN  CVn. 

Ye  saints  on  earth,  ascribe,  with  heav'n's  higii 
host, 

Glor}^  and  honour  to  the  One  in  Three, 
ToGoDth'FATHER,SoAr,andHoLYGHosT, 

As  was,  and  is,  and  evermore  shall  be. 


[     669    ] 

POEMS. 

THJE  KITE  I  . 

OR, 

PRIDE  MUST  HAVE  A  FALL. 

My  waking  di'eams  are  best  conceal'd. 
Much  folly,  little  good  they  yield  ; 
But  now  and  then  I  gain,  when  sleeping, 
A  friendly  hint  that's  worth  the  keeping  : 
Lately  I  dreanat  of  one  who  cry'd, 
"  Beware  of  self,  beware  of  pride  ; 
"  Wlien  you  are  prone  to  build  a  Babel,. 
«  Recall  to  mind  this  little  fable." 

'NCE  on  a  time  a  paper  kite 
Was  mounted  to  a  wondrous  height. 
Where,  giddy  with  its  elevation, 
It  thus  express'd  self- admiration : 
"  See  how  yon  crowds  of  gazing  people 
*'  Admire  my  flight  above  the  steeple ; 
"  How  would  they  wonder  if  they  knew 
"  All  that  a  kite  like  me  can  do ! 
"  Were  I  but  free,  I'd  take  a  flight, 
"  And  pierce  the  clouds  beyond  their  sight, 
"  But,  ah  !  like  a  poor  pris'ner  bound, 
"  My  string  confines  me  near  the  ground  i 
"  I'd  brave  the  eagle's  tow'ring  wing, 
"  Might  I  but  fly  without  a  string." 

It  tugg'd  and  pull'd,  while  thus  it  spok^, 
To  break  the  string — -at  last  it  broke* 
Depriv'd  at  once  of  all  its  stay, 
In  vain  it  trv'd  to  soar  away  ; 


C70  Pocvis. 

Unable  its  o\vii  weight  to  bear, 
It  flutter'd  downward  tliroiigh  the  air  ; 
Unable  its  own  course  to  guide, 
The  winds  soon  plung'd  it  in  the  tide. 
Ah  !  foolish  kite,  thou  hadst  no  wing. 
How  could'st  thou  fly  without  a  string ! 

My  heart  reply 'd,  ''  O  Lord,  I  see 
"  How  much  this  kite  resembles  me ! 
"  Forgetful  that  by  thee  I  stand, 
*'  Impatient  of  thy  ruling  hand ; 
"  How  oft  I've  wish'd  to  break  the  lines 
*'  Thy  wisdom  for  my  lot  assigns  ? 
"  How  oft  indulg'd  a  vain  desire 
"  For  something  more,  or  something  highV? 
"  And,  but  for  grace  and  love  divine, 
"  A  fall  thus  dreadful  had  been  mine." 

A  Thought  on  the  Sea  Shore. 

1  In  ev'iy  object  here  I  see 
Something,  O  Lord,  that  leads  to  thee. 
Firm  as  the  rocks  thy  promise  stands, 
Thy  mercies  countless  as  the  sands, 
Thy  love  a  sea  immensely  wide. 
Thy  grace  an  ever-flowing  tide. 

2  In  ev'ry  object  here  I  see 
Something,  my  heart,  that  points  at  thee. 
Hard  as  the  rocks  that  bound  the  strand, 
Unfruitful  as  the  barren  sand, 

Deep  and  deceitful  as  the  ocean, 
And,  like  the  tides,  in  constant  motion. 

The  S/tider  and  Toad. 

Some  author,  (no  great  matter  who, 
Pro^•ided  what  he  says  be  true,) 


Foems.  671 


Relates  he  saw,  with  hostile  rage, 

A  spider  and  a  toad  engage ; 

For  though  with  poison  both  are  stor'd, 

Each  by  the  other  is  abhorr'd, 

It  seems  as  if  their  common  venom 

Provok'd  an  enmity  between  'em. 

Implacable,  malicious,  cruel, 

Like  modern  hero  in  a  duel, 

The  spider  darted  on  his  foe, 

Infixing  death  at  ev'ry  blow. 

The  toad,  by  ready  instinct  taught. 

An  antidote,  when  wounded,  sought 

From  the  herb  Plantane,  growing  near, 

Well  known  to  toads  its  virtues  rare, 

The  spider's  poison  to  repel ; 

It  cropp'd  the  leaf,  and  soon  was  well. 

This  remedy  it  often  try'd. 

And  all  the  spider's  rage  defy'd. 

The  person  who  the  contest  view'd, 

While  yet  the  battle  doubtful  stood, 

Remov'd  the  healing  plant  away — 

And  thus  the  spider  gain'd  the  day  : 

For  when  the  toad  return'd  once  more 

Wounded,  as  it  had  done  before. 

To  seek  relief,  and  found  it  not, 

It  swell'd  and  dy'd  upon  the  spot. 

In  ev'ry  circumstance  but  one, 
(Could  that  hold  too,  I  were  undone,) 
No  glass  can  represent  my  face 
More  justly  than  tliis  tale  my  case. 
The  toad's  an  emblem  of  my  heart, 
And  Satan  acts  the  spider's  part. 
•    Envenom *d  by  his  poison,  I 
Am  often  at  the  point  to  die  : 


C72  Poems. 

But  he  who  hung  upon  the  tree, 

From  guilt  and  wo  to  set  me  free, 

Is  Uke  the  Plantane  leaf  to  me. 

To  him  my  wounded  soul  repairs, 

He  knows  my  pain,  and  hears  my  pray'rs  ; 

From  him  I  virtue  draw  by  faith, 

Which  saves  me  from  the  jaws  of  death : 

From  him  fresh  life  and  strength  I  gain, 

And  Satan  spends  his  rage  in  vain. 

No  secret  arts  or  open  force, 

Can  rob  me  of  this  sure  resource, 

Though  banish 'd  to  some  distant  land, 

My  med'cine  would  be  still  at  hand  ; 

Though  foolish  men  its  worth  deny, 

Experience  gives  them  all  the  lie  ; 

Though  Deists  and  Socinians  join, 

Jesus  still  lives,  and  still  is  mine. 

'Tis  here  the  happy  diff 'rence  lies, 

My  Saviour  reigns  above  the  skies, 

Yet  to  my  soul  is  always  near, 

For  he  is  God,  and  ev'ry  where. 

His  blood  a  sovereign  blam  isfound 

For  ev'ry  grief,  and  ev'ry  wound ; 

And  sooner  all  the  hills  shall  flee 

And  hide  themselves  beneath  the  sea ; 

Or  ocean,  starting  from  its  bed, 

Rush  o'er  the  cloud-topt  mountain's  head  ; 

The  sun,  exhausted  of  its  light. 

Become  the  source  of  endless  night ; 

And  ruin  spread  from  pole  to  pole  ; 

Than  Jesus  fail  the  tempted  soul. 


A  TABLE 

TO    THE 

FIRST  BOOK  OF  THE  OLNEY  HYMNS, 

According  to  the  Order  and  Subject  of  the  Hymns. 

GENESIS. 


Hxjmn  Chap. 

1  Adam, 3 

2  Cain  and  Abel,     ...     4 

^  Walking  with  God,  .  5 
5  Lot  in  Sodom,  .  .  .13 
y  ^  The  Lord  will  provide,  22 

8  Esau, 25 

9  Jacob's  ladder,     .     .     .28 

10  My  name  is  Jacob,  .     .  32 

11  Plenty  in  dearth, .     .     .41 

12  Joseph  made  known  to 

his  brethren,      ...  45 


1 3  The  bitter  waters,    .     .15 

14  Jehovah-Rophi,    .     .     .15 

15  Manna, 16 

1 6  Manna  hoarded,  .     .     .16 

17  Jehovah-Nisi,       .     .     .17 
1  8  The  golden  calf,  ...  32 


LEVITICUS. 

1 9  The  true  Aaron, ...     8 

MUMBERS. 

20  Balaam's  wish,     ...  23 

JOSHUA. 

31  Gibeon,       .     ,    ,     .     .10 

JUDGES. 


22  Jchovah-Shallom,  .     .     6 
33  Gideon's  fleece,  .     6 

24  Samson's  lion,      .  .     .14 

Vol.  IIL  4  R 


1    SAMUEL. 

Hymn  Chafu 

25  Hannah  ;  or,  the  throne 

of  grace, 1 

26  Dagon  before  the  ark,  .     5 

27  Milch  kine  drawing  the 

ark, 6 

28  Saul's  armour,     ...   17 

3    SAMUEL. 

29  David's  fall,     .     .     .     .12 

30  Is  this  thy  kindness  to 

thy  friend  ?     .     .     .     .16 


;3j 


1  KINGS. 

.Ask  what  I  shall  give 

33J       '^^^' 3 

34  Queen  of  Sheba,  .     .     .10 

35  Elijah  fed  by  ravens,     .  17 

36  The  meal  and  cruse  of 

oil, 17 

2  KINGS. 

37  Jericho,  or  the  waters 

healed, 2 

38  Naamstn, 5 

39  The  borrowed  axe,  .     .  6 

40  More  with  Us  than  with 

them, 6 

1     CHRONICLES. 

41  Faith's   review  and  ex- 


pectation,      .     . 

NEHEMIAH. 


17 


42  The  joy  of  the  Lord  is 
onr  strength,      .     .     .     P 


674 


JOB. 

Hymn  Chaji. 

43  O    that    I    were    iis    in 
months  past !      ...  29 


A  Table  to  the  First  Book. 

JKRKMIAH 


44  The  chane-e 


PS.\LMS. 


29 


43   Pleading  for  mercy,       .      6 
46  None  upon  earth  besides 
thee, 73 

^'^  \  The  believer's  safetv,    9 1 

48  S 

49  He  led  them  by  a  right 

way, 107 

50  What  shall  I  render  ?      116 
.51   Dwelling  in  iVIescch,       120 

PROVERBS. 

52  Wisdom,     .     .     .     .      ,     8 

53  A  friend  that   sticketh 

closer  than  a  brother,     18 

ECCLESIASTES. 

54  Vanity  of  life,  .     .     .     .      1 

55  Vanity  of  the  world,      .      1 
.'^6  Vanity  of  creatures  sanc- 

titicd, 1 

SOJ,0;>iON\S  SONG. 

57  The  name  of  Jesus    ,      .      1 

ISAIAH. 

58  O  Lord, I  will  praise  thee,  12 

59  The  river,  refuge,  and 

rock  of  the  church,  .   .   32 

60  Zion,  or  the  city  of  God,  33 

6 1  Look  unto  me,  and  be 

ye  saved, 45 

62  The  good  Physician,  .  .  45 

63  To  tiie  afHicted,    ....  54 

64  The  contrite  heart,  .  .  ,  57 
ijr\   The    future    peace   and 

glory  of  the  church,    .   65 


Hymn  Cha/i. 

66  Trust  of  the   righteous 

and  wicked,  .     .     .     .17' 

67  Jehovah  our  righteous- 

ness,      23 

68  Ephraim  repenting,       .  31 

LAMENTATIONS. 

69  The  Lord  is  my  portion,     3 

EZEKIEL. 

70  Humbled   and   silenced 

by  mercy, 16 

71  The  covenant,       .     .     .36 

72  Jehovah-Shammah,        .  48 


73  The  power  and  triumph 

of  faith, 3,  6 

74  Belshazzar,      ....     5 

.TONAH. 

75  The  gourd,      ....     4 

ZECIIAIIIAH. 

76  Prayer  for    the    Lord's 

presence,  2 

77  A  brand  plucked  out  of 

the  fire, 3 

78  On  one   stone   shall  be 

seven  eyes,     ....     3 

79  Praise   for  the  fountain 

opened, 13 

MALACHI. 

80  They  shall  be  mine,  saith 

the  Lord, 3 

MATTHEW. 

81  The  beggar,     ....     7 

82  The  leper, 8 

83  A  sick  soul,     ....     9 

84  Satan  returningj   .     .     .12 


A  Table  to  the  First  Book. 


T,75 


Hijmn  Chap. 

85  The  sower,       .     .     .     .13 

86  Wheat  and  tares,       .     .13 

87  Peter    walking   on   the 

waters,        .     ,     .     .      .14 

88  Woman  of  Canaan,   .     .15 

89  What  think  ye  of  Christ?  22 

90  The  foolish  virgins,       .  25 
9  1   Peter  singing  and  repent- 
ing,         26 


92  Legion  dispossessed, 

93  The     ruler's     daughter 

raised,        .... 

94  But  one  loaf,    .      . 

95  Bartimcus,        .      .      .      .10 

96  The  house  of  prayer,     .    11 

97  The  blasted  fig-trcc,       .    1 1 


98  The  two  debtors,     .     .     7 

99  The  good  Samai'itan,  .   10 

100  Martha  and  Mary,  .     .10 

101  The  heart  taken',     .     .11 

102  The  worldling,  .     .     .12 

103  The  barren  fig-tree,     .   13 

104  The  prodigal,     .      .     .15 

105  The  rich   man  and  La- 
zarus,     16 

106  The    importunate    v.i- 
dow, IS 

107  Zaccheus,       .     .     .     .19 

108  Believer's  d.ingcr  and 
safety, 22 

109  Father,  forgive  them,     23 

1 10  The  two  malcflictors,      23 


111 
112 
113 
114 
115 
116 

1  17 
ilS 
119 


JOHN'. 

The  woman  of  Sa.maria,     4 

^  Poolof  Bethesda,  .     .     -■> 

The  disciples  at  sea,    .  6 

Will  ye  also  go  away  ?  6 
The    resurrection    and 

the  life, 11 

"\V'eeping  Mary,      .     .  20 

>  f.ovest  thou  me  ?  ..     .  2  1 


ACTS. 
Hymn  Chaji. 

120  Death  of  Stephen,  .     .     7 

121  The  rebel's  surrender 

to  grace,    9 

122  Peter  released  from  pri- 
son,        12 

123  The  trembling  gaoler,    16 

124  The  exorcists,    ,     .     .19 

125  Paul's  voyage,     .     .     .27 


126  The  good  that  I  would, 

I  do  not, 7 

127  Salvation  drawing  near- 
er,    13 

1  CORINTHIANS. 

128  That  rock  was  Christ,    lo 

2  CORINTHIANS. 

129  My  grace  is  sufficient 
for  thee 12 

GALATIANS. 

130  The  inward  warfare,    .     ,'. 

PHILIPPIANS. 

131  Contentment,      .     .•   .     4 

HEBREWS. 

132  Old  Testament  Gospel,     4 

133  T!ic  v.'ord   quick    and 
i;owerfui, 4 

134  Looking  unto  Jesus,    .   12 

135  Love-tokens,       .     .     .12 


REVELATION. 

136  Ephc?ns,  .     .     . 

137  Smyi'iuv,     .     .      . 

138  Sardis,        .      .      . 

139  Philadelphia, 

140  I/aodic"e?,  . 


[     676     I 


A  TABLE  TO  THE  SECOND  BOOK. 


I.    SEASONS. 

JVe70'Year's  HyniTia.        Hymn 

Time  how  swift !         ...  1 

Time  how  short !       ...  2 

Uncertainty  of  life,     ...  3 
A  New-year's  thought  and 

prayer,       .....  4 
Death  and  war,      ....  5 
^iarthly    prospects    deceit- 
ful,           6 


Before  Annual  Serinotis. 

Prayer  for  a  blessing,     .     .     7 

Another, 8 

Another, 9 

Casting  the  Gospel-net,  .  10 
Pleading  for  and  with  youth,  1 1 
Prayer  for  ciiildren,  .  .  .12 
The  Shunamite,  .  .  .  .13 
Elijah's  prayer,  .  .  .  .14 
Preaching  to  the  dry  bones,  15 
The  rod  of  Moses,  .  .  .  16 
God  s*yeaking  from  Mount 

Zion, 17 

Prayer    for  power    on    the 

means, 18 

Elijah's  mantle,      .     .     .     .19 


After  annual  Sermons. 


David's    charge    to    Solo- 
mon,       20 

The  Lord's  call  to  his  chil- 
dren,      21 

The  prayer  of  Jabcz,      .     .  22 
Waiting  at  Wisdom's  gates,  23 
Asking  the  way  to  Zion,     .  24 
We  wore  Phr.i-aoh's  bond- 
mcr.  25 


Hymn 
Travailing   in  birth    for 

souls, 26 

We  are  ambassadors  for 

Christ, 27 

Paul's  farewell  charge,  .  28 
How     shall     I    put    thee 

among  the  children  ?  29 

Winter, 30 

Waiting  for  spring,  ,     .     .31 

Spring, 32 

Another, 33 

Summer-stoi'ms,   ....  34 

Hay-time, 35 

Harvest,        36 

Christmas. 

Praise  for  the  incarnation,  37 
Jehovah  Jesus,        ...  38 
Man  honoured  above   an- 
gels,    39 

Saturday  evening,      ...  40 

Close  of  the  year,  Ebenezer,  41 

Another, 42 

II.    OHDI.VANCES, 

Opening  a  place  for  social 

prayer, 43 

Anotlier, 44 

The  Lord's  day,  ....  45 
Gospel  privileges,      ...  46 

Another, 47 

Praise  for  tlicir  continuance,  48 
A  famine  of  the  word,  .  .  49 
Prayer  for  ministers,  .  .  50 
Prayer  for  a  revival,  .51 

Hoping  for  a  revival,      .      .   52 

Sacramental  Hymns. 

VvV-lconifMo  llic  tabic,    .      .  ol" 


A  Table  to  the  Second  Book. 


677 


Christ  crucified,  .  . 
Jesus  hasting  to  suffer, 
It  is  good  to  be  here,  .  . 
Looking  at  the  cross,  .  . 
Supplies  in  the  wilderness. 
Communion  with  saints  in 
glory, 


Hymn 

.  54 


55 
56 
57 
58 

59 


Prayer. 

Exhortation  to  prayer, 
Power  of  prayer,   .     . 

Scripture. 


.  60 
.   61 


Light  and  glory  of  the  word,  62 
Word  more  precious  than 

gold, 63 

III.    PROVIDENCES. 

On  the   commencement  of 
hostilities,       ....  64 

Fast-day  Hymns. 

Confession  aiid  prayer,  .  65 

Moses  and  Amalek,        .     .  66 

The  hiding  place,       ...  67 

On  the  earthquake,  1775,    .  68 

Fire  at  Olney,  1777,       .     .  69 
Welcome       to      Christian 

friends, 70 

At  parting, 71 


Funeral  Hymns. 

Hymn 
On  the  death  of  a  believer,  72 
Death  of  a  minister,  ...  73 
The  tolling  bell,  ....  74 
Hope  beyond  the  grave,  .  75 
There  the  weary  are  at  rest,  76 
The  day  of  judgment,  .  .  77 
The  day  of  the  Lord,  .  .  78 
The  great  tribunal,    ...  79 

IV.    CREATION. 

The  old  and  new  creation,  80 
Book  of  creation,  .     .     .     .  81 

The  rainbow, 82 

Thunder, 83 

Lightning  in  the  night,  .  84 
Eclipse  of  the  moon,  1776,    85 

Moon-light 86 

The  sea, 87 

The  flood, 88 

The  thaw, 89 

The  loadstone,  ....  90 
Spider  and  Bee,  .  .  .  .91 
Bee  saved  from  the  spider,  92 
The  tamed  lion,    .     .     .     .93 

Sheep, 94 

The  garden, 95 

For   a  garden-seat  or  sum- 
mer-house,    ....  96 
Creatures    in    the     Lord's 

hands, 97 

On  dreaming, 98 

The  v.'orld, 99 

The  enchantment  dissolved,  100 


[    678     J 


\  TABLE  TO  THE  THIRD  BOOK. 


f.    SOLEMN  ADDRESSES    TO    SIN- 
NERS. 

Hymn 

Expostulation, 1 

Alarm, 2 

We  were  once  as  you  are,  3 
Prepare  to  meet  God,  .  .  4 
Invitation, 5 

II.  SEEKING,  PLEADING,  AND 
HOPING. 


The  burdened  sinner. 
Behold,  I  am  vile  !     . 
The  shining  light, 
Encouragement,    . 
The  waiting  soul. 
The  effort,  .... 
Seeking  the  Beloved, 
Rest  for  Avcary  souls. 


11, 


6 
7 
8 
9 

10 
12 
13 
14 


III.    CONFLICT. 

Light  shining  out  of  dark- 
ness,       15 

Welcome  cross.    .     .     .     .16 
Afflictions  sanctified  by  the 

word, 17 

Temptation, IS 

Looking  upwards  in  a  storm,  1 9 
Valley  of    the    shadow    of 

death, 20 

The  storm  hushed,    .     .     .21 
Help  in  time  of  need,     .     .  22 
Peace  after  a  storm,        .     .23 
Mourning  and  longing,       .  24 
Rejoice  the  soul  of  thy  ser- 
vant,     ......  25 

Self-acquaintance,      .     .     .26 
Bitter  and  sweet,  .     .     .     .27 

Prayer  for  patience,  .     .     -28 

Submission, 29 

Why  should  I  complain  ?    .  30 


Hyviii 
Return,  O  Lord,  how  long  !  31 
Cast  down,  but  not  destroy- 
ed,      32 

The  benighted  traveller,     .  33 

The  prisoner, 34 

Perplexity  relieved,  ...  35 
Prayer  answered  by  crosses,  36 
I    will     trust,  and    not   be 

afraid, o7 

Questions  to  unbelief,  .  .38 
Great  eff'ectsby  small  means,  39 
Why  art  thou  cast  down  ?  .  40 
The  way  of  access,  .  .  .41 
The  pilgrim's  song,  ...  42 

IV.    COMFORT. 

Faith  a  ncvv  sense,  ...  43 
The  happy  change,    ...  44 

Retirement, 45 

Jesus  my  all, 46 

The  hidden  life,    ....  47 
Joy  and    peace    in    believ- 
ing,   48 

True  pleasure,       ....  49 

The  Christian,       ....  30 

Lively    hope   and    gracious 
fear,       .     .     .     .     .     .51 

Confidence,       .     ..."  52 

Peace  restored,      .     .     .     .53 

Hear  what  he  has  done,  .  54 
Freedom  from  care,  .  .  .55 
Humiliation  and  praise,       .  56 

For  the  poor, 57 

Home  in  view,       ....  58 

v.    DEDICATION  AND  SUR- 
UEXDER. 


Old  things  passed  av.'ay, 

Power  of  grace,     . 

Mv  soul  thirstcth  for  God, 


.59 
60 
61 


A  Table  to  the  Third  Book. 


679 


Hymn 
Love    constraining  to  obe- 
dience,        62 

Heart  healed  and  changed 
by  mercy,        ....  63 

Hatred  of  sin, 64 

The  child,    ......  65 

True  happiness,    .     .     .     .66 

The  happy  debtor,     ...  67 


VI.    CAUTIONS. 

The  new  convert,  .  . 
True  and  false  comforts. 
True  and  false  zeal,  . 
Living  and  dead  faith, 
Abuse  of  the  Gospel, 
The  narrow  way,  .  . 
Dependence,  .  .  . 
Not  of  works,  .  .  . 
Sin's  deceit,  .  , 
Are  there  few  saved  ? 


68 
69 

70 
71 

72 
73 
74 
75 

76 

77 


Hymn 
The  Sluggard,  .  .  .  .78 
Not  in  word,  but  in  power,     79 

VII.    PRAISE. 

Praise  for  faith,  ....  80 
Grace  and  providence,  .  ,81" 
Praise  for  redeeming  love,  82 
I  will  praise  the  Lord  at  all 

times, 83 

Perseverance,  84 

Salvation, 85 

Reigning  grace,  ....  86 
Praise  to  the  Redeemer,  .  87 
Man  by  nature,  grace,  and 

glory, 88 

VIII.     SHO"RT  HYMNS. 


Before  Sermon, 
After  Sermon, 
Gloria  Patri, 


,     89—95 
96 — 103 

104— -I  or 


END    OF    THE    THIRD    VOLUME. 


^ 


